UST extends V-league dynasty to six

May 27, 11:25 p.m.- BOOSTED by
an all-Filipina lineup, UST outlasted the San Sebastian College – Recoletos
(SSC-R) Lady Stags in the heart-pounding conclusion of the best-of-three Finals
series of the 7th Shakey’s V-League first conference.

The Lady
Spikers underscored domination in a four-setter match, 25-20, 25-27, 25-12,
25-15, to come out on top in Game 3 of the conference this afternoon at The Arena
in San Juan.

This
plum is the Lady Spikers’ third consecutive title in the league, putting them
on equal footing with De La Salle University who used to be the only team to achieve
a three-peat. It is also UST’s sixth crown for the past seven seasons.

“I
am so happy because we have been working hard for this [championship]. I always
tell them [the Lady Spikers] to be patient and keep focused to reach our goal,”
a jubilant coach Cesael de los Santos said. “We are doing this to make the
people, especially the fans, happy.”

The
España-based squad controlled the tempo of the fourth set with runs anchored on
kills from Mary Jean Balse, coupled with teammates’ Rhea Dimaculangan and
Denise Santiago’s consistent blocking.

UST
struggled in the opening set, allowing the Lady Stags to edge early, 2-5. But
the opponents’ errors paved the way for UST to take the steering wheel, 9-7.

A
4-0 run towards the end of the set courtesy of back-to-back kills from Santiago
and Michelle Carolino highlighted the twin service aces of Rhea Dimaculangan,
putting UST at advantage point, 23-20, before an attack error from SSC-R’s
Suzanne Roces ended the set at 25-20.

It
was a different story in the second set, however, as the Lady Stags capitalized
on the errors of UST to carve their widest lead in the game, 11-20.

The
shaken Lady Spikers awoke from their paltry offense and sparked a 5-0 run
planted on a variety of their kills, 22-all. However, SSC-R grabbed the set
with Analyn Benito’s off-the-block hit and a block from Roces, 25-27.

UST then
redeemed themselves in the next set with a 9-0 stretch from Balse’s four
service aces. The Lady Spikers rode on this momentum to ice the set with a
convincing 25-12 output, courtesy of Finals MVP and league’s Best Attacker Aiza
Maizo’s off-the-block shot.  

UST
carried the onslaught in the fourth set with the Maizo-Balse-Santiago
triumvirate providing much of the firepower to give the Lady Spikers an 18-10
cushion. Carolino’s attack put the Lady Spikers at match point before another
service ace from Dimaculangan gave the victory to UST, 25-15.

Maizo
topscored for UST with 17 points while Maika Ortiz churned in 16 markers. Charizze
L. Abulencia