UNIVERSITY of the Philippines (UP) finally snapped a four-game skid, as the Lady Maroons booked a rousing 31-33, 25-23, 25-16, 25-12 victory over the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Tigresses in Season 80 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) women’s volleyball action at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.
The Lady Maroons played their best game of the season so far, bucking a first-set loss by controlling their errors to improve to a 2-4 win-loss record and tie their victims at sixth place.
The dynamic duo of skipper Tots Carlos and Isa Molde were responsible for getting UP back on the winning track.
Carlos finished with a career-high 32 points on 27 attacks, three blocks and two service aces, while Molde made 23 kills for 24 points.
“This is important for us because we were so down in our past games and we’re tired of losing,” Carlos said.
Kenyan coach Godfrey Okumu agreed.
“The team needs a win syndrome. We have to step up because the team is still building confidence,” Okumu said. “We won and got a confidence boost from our opponents, who were a very good team, very aggressive.”
The first set went tight with the Tigresses reaching set point, 24-20. But Molde and Carlos initiated a Lady Maroons comeback that was aided by four service errors and an attack miscue by UST and forced deuce at 31.
Dimdim Pacres and Carla Sandoval, however, steadied the boat and made consecutive attacks to allow UST to draw first blood.
But the long and thrilling first set made the UP side fiercer and the Lady Maroons played cautiously from there to nail the victory.
Cherry Rondina again shone bright for UST with 23 points with nine digs. Tin Francisco and Pacres chipped in 12 and 10 hits, respectively, for the Tigresses.
National University ended Far Eastern University’s unbeaten run, 22-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-17, in the men’s competition also on Wednesday.
Bryan Bagunas unloaded 22 hits, James Natividad delivered 15 points, while Fauzi Ismail and Francis Saura added 11 each for FEU which tied idle Ateneo at the top on a 5-1 card.
UP (2-4) upset UST (3-3), 25-22, 19-25, 21-25, 25-19, 15-12, in the other men’s match.