The DLSU Lady Spikers put an end to the UST Golden Tigresses’ special season after prevailing over them in four sets, 24-26, 22-25, 25-20, 19-25, in the UAAP Season 85 volleyball tournament semifinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday.
This marks the second straight season the Tigresses failed to advance past the first round of the Final Four. They last made the finals in Season 81.
After Shevana Laput’s service ace gave DLSU the set-point advantage, 24-22, Eya Laure converted back-to-back attacks to force a deuce.
However, Lady Spiker Fifi Sharma answered back with a block kill and a crosscourt kill to seal DLSU’s first-set win, 26-24.
In the second frame, Golden Tigress Milena Alessandrini committed a costly service error to hand DLSU’s easy two sets to none advantage, 25-22.
The Tigresses came alive and shook off their jitters in the third frame after unleashing a 9-1 blast to take a 17-8 lead. DLSU fought back and trimmed UST’s lead to two, 22-20, but a game-sealing 3-0 won the Tigresses the third set, 25-20.
But the Tigresses could not sustain their momentum and allowed DLSU to build a huge lead in the fourth frame, before surrendering the set, 19-25.
Laure tallied a triple-double, recording 15 points on 14 attacks, 12 excellent digs and 11 excellent receptions in what could be her final game for UST. Hernandez added 12 markers, while Alessandrini, who has exhausted her playing years, scored eight points.
Lady Spiker starting libero Justine Jazareno led DLSU in the reception department, tallying 16 of their 36 excellent receptions.
DLSU’s Angel Canino and Dela Cruz scored 19 and 10 points, respectively.
