ONE ADJUSTMENT after the other plague the chance of the UST Lady Spikers in gaining top spot in the Shakey’s V-League Third Conference.
UST Coach August Santamaria believes that the Lady Spikers are “in better shape than before,” but unforeseen lineup changes left the Lady Spikers shorthanded especially in the endgame.
Still, the España-based squad managed to chalk up two convincing straight-set victories after upsets against San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSC-R) and newcomer Ateneo de Manila Univeristy (AdMU).
Sans guest player Joyce Pano, who is in Iloilo to mourn the death of her father, UST leaned on twin towers Roxanne Pimentel and Mary Jean Balse to edge the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws, 25-19, 25-14, 25-12, last May 23 at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
After a tightly-contested first set, the Lady Spikers unleashed the tiger form that won them the V-League inaugural conference championship to claim the succeeding sets.
Pimentel and Balse combined for 33 points in the 63-minute outing. National team member Ruby May Rovira and Mary Ann Manalo scored eight points each for the Morayta-based team.
UST greatly felt Pano’s sudden absence in its heartbreaking 25-21, 22-25, 17-25, 25-18, 11-15 loss to AdMU last May 21.
The Lady Spikers easily had the first juncture only to lose composure in the next two sets. With team skipper Pimentel at the helm, the Lady Spikers refused to go down easy in the fourth set. But the Loyola-based team, reinforced by guest players Amelia Guanco, Michelle Laborte, and libero Charlie Tan, started the deciding set strong to hand UST its second loss in the 2005 conference.
“Ang design ng laro namin kasi kasama si Joyce,” Santamaria explained. “Her absence left a big gap in our offensive strategy.”
Earlier games
The UST Lady Spikers demolished the Lyceum College (Lyceum) Lady Pirates, 25-16, 25-19, 25-17, in the Shakey’s V-League Third Conference last May 19.
The Lady Pirates staged mini rallies throughout the match, but UST’s veteran spikers rode out their late charges.
With Pimentel at the frontline, UST scored a blazing 15-4 run early in the first set.
UST almost had the second set under wraps, 20-8. However, the Emil Lontoc-mentored spikers fought back with six straight points from Charissa Genido and Cannette Garcia. But Lady Spikers Pano and Venus Bernal sealed the set for UST with back-to-back kills.
Coach August Santamaria’s volleybelles quickly pulled ahead in the third juncture, 16-6. After Lyceum’s three consecutive bad receptions, the UST volleybelles went on to win their first match in the V-League conference.
Ace smasher Balse led the offense with 10 attack points, while Pano chipped in nine.
Genido and Cruz scored 12 apiece for the Lyceum Lady Pirates.
In the V-League opening day, the Lady Spikers suffered a stinging loss, 25-10, 21-25, 22-25, 14-25, at the hands of a pumped-up SSC-R squad last May 14.
After a lopsided opening juncture in its favor, UST simply lost steam in the remaining sets.
With power smasher Cherry Ann Macatangay at the helm, the Lady Stags are now in tough contention holding a 3-0 win-loss card.
UST Assistant coach Cesael delos Santos believes that their opening day loss was a minor lapse. “Bago lang kasi ang setter (Botor-Carpio). Pero ngayon, we have made the necessary adjustments.”
Lineup changes
UST’s long-time mentor remains optimistic that the tides will turn come the second elimination round.
“Hopefully ‘pag balik ni Joyce, mag-iba na ang laro namin,” Santamaria said.
Rookies Tabaquero, Lorraine Zapata, Jo-Anne de la Fuente, and Karla Cotoco join the UST Lady Spikers V-League lineup.
For the team’s three guest players, Santamaria acquired the services of former Lady Spikers Pimentel, Pano, and setter Joanne Botor-Carpio.
UST is set to lock horns with defending champion De La Salle University on May 30.
