Far Eastern University avenged its first round loss to De La Salle University with a 25-20, 28-26, 20-25, 25-23 win to forge a tie at third in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
This marked FEU’s first win over La Salle in the UAAP since April 28, 2019 back in Season 81 when it took a 25-22, 13-25, 15-25, 27-25, 15-8 triumph. The Lady Tamaraws were swept by the Lady Spikers in the first round this year, losing 17-25, 20-25, 22-25.
FEU and La Salle are now tied for third and fourth spots with identical 9-5 records, but the Lady Spikers hold the third due to their straight sets win in the first round.
This locked up the Lady Tamaraws at fourth seed regardless of the result of the games tomorrow, no thanks to the inferior set ratio, which means they would face the top-ranked, twice-to-beat National University Lady Bulldogs in the Final Four.
But for La Salle, it is hoping that University of Santo Tomas (9-4) loses to NU tomorrow to force a playoff for the second twice-to-beat edge.
“Ewan ko parang may mga magic yata itong mga player ko eh, ginamit ang mga magic wand… Overwhelming ‘yung feeling kasi ever since 2019 nga. Overwhelming talaga ‘yung nangyari ngayon,” said FEU head coach Tina Salak.
Jyne Soreño, Angel Canino, and Shane Reterta all had a hand in the Lady Spikers’ finisher in the third to extend the match, scoring four straight points, turning a 21-20 lead to a 25-20 win.
Then in the fourth, La Salle took the upper hand early, but FEU persevered to keep itself in the game.
With the Lady Spikers up 22-21 after a Jazlyn Ellarina attack went out, the Lady Tamaraws responded first with a Faida Bakanke crosscourt hit to tie the game before gaining the lead after Shevana Laput committed an attack error of her own.
FEU then notched match point after a Gerzel Petallo strong serve was unable to receive properly by La Salle, resulting in a Lovely Lopez putaway, 24-22.
Canino unleashed one more hit for the Lady Spikers, but Lopez, a homegrown rookie out of FEU-Diliman, delivered the clinching crosscourt hammer for the win in two hours and 28 minutes.
“Masaya po ako kasi pinagkatiwalaan po ako ni coach T. Nagtiwala po siya na gagawin ko yung best ko, sobrang saya kasi hindi ko rin ineexpect na ganon ‘yung lalaruin ko. Siguro parang tinurukan ako ng adrenaline,” said Lopez, who had eight points off the bench, the final two gave them the win.
Petallo led FEU’s fight with 19 points, 11 receptions, and eight digs, while Ellarina added 13 points on nine spikes, three blocks, and an ace.
Chenie Tagaod and Bakanke also delivered 10 points each in the victory.
Looking ahead, the Lady Tamaraws dropped both their games to the Lady Bulldogs this season but not without a fight, losing in the first round, 15-25, 25-23, 26-24, 23-25, 8-15, and in the second round, 22-25, 26-24, 24-26, 18-25.
Canino registered 25 points and 11 digs for the Lady Spikers.
Laput and Soreño also had 12 and 11 points, respectively, in the loss, while Lyka De Leon grabbed 17 excellent receptions and 17 excellent digs.