20 September 2013, 5:46 p.m. – ADAMSON University unseated two-time defending champion UST Lady Spikers, while the Tiger Spikers stood their ground against top-seeded National University (NU) in the finals of the UAAP beach volleyball tournament Friday.
Lady Falcons Amanda Villanueva and Shiela Pineda capitalized on Maru Banaticla and Pam Lastimosa’s poor reception to take the title from UST in three sets, 21-23, 21-17, 15-9.
“The season really isn’t for us,” coach Henry Pecaña said. “They lacked intensity and trust in themselves.”
The Tiger Spikers thrashed the Bulldogs in Game 1, 21-15, 21-17, before losing Game 2, 10-21, 21-18, 11-15, against NU, which has a thrice-to-beat advantage.
After a hotly contested first set, the Lady Spikers ran out of steam and wasted a four-point lead halfway through the second set.
The Lady Falcons retook the lead after back-to-back corner pocket hits from Villenueva. Pineda then capped the second frame via a service ace.
The Bulldogs took advantage of UST rookie Kris Roy Guzman’s leg cramps in the first set of Game 2 to pound the Tiger Spikers.
“He’s still young and could not handle pain when playing,” Pecaña said.
In the second set, UST fought back from a 0-3 deficit to tie the game at six apiece after a Guzman power tip.
The Tiger Spikers began to pull away in Game 1 after NU’s Josephenry Tipay and Edwin Tolentino committed consecutive service errors. UST closed the match via a Mark Gil Alfafara service ace.
The Tiger Spikers secured the finals appearance after drubbing Adamson University in straight sets, 21-10, 21-10.
They will meet NU in Games 3 and 4 on Sept. 23. UST needs to beat the Bulldogs twice more to win the title. Ralph Joshua D.R. Hernandez
