CONTRAST OF EMOTIONS The Girl Bulldogs (in blue) rejoice their vengeful defanging of the Tigresses, who’re left to ponder on what lies forward with their Remaining 4 rating unsure. —AUGUST DELA CRUZ
Bella Belen rapidly assembled the Nationwide College (NU) Girl Bulldogs in a huddle following the third set that circled the drain, totally conscious that permitting College of Santo Tomas (UST) to win one other body might be deadly.
“I reminded them that [we needed] to win in any respect price,” Belen stated when requested of that huddle, an important aspect in a 25-16, 25-21, 17-25, 25-14 victory over the Tigresses on Wednesday that each one however sewed up No. 2 rating for the defending champion Girl Bulldogs within the UAAP Season 85 ladies’s volleyball event.
“We’re already up by two units, just a bit extra effort and we’ll be there,’’ Belen went on. “We now have to get forward of them quick. [Because] as soon as they get the benefit, it is going to be tough for us since we’re liable to errors.’’
It was a win that not solely avenged a five-set loss within the first spherical, but additionally gave the Girl Bulldogs the second twice-to-beat privilege after they rose to 10-3 and dropped the Tigresses to 9-4, tied for third spot with idle Adamson.
Even with each side having one recreation left, and even when Nationwide loses to Ateneo and Santo Tomas beats College of the Philippines (UP) to shut out the elimination spherical, the Girl Bulldogs will take No. 2 rating by dropping simply 4 units of their head-to-head with the Tigresses.
Adamson additionally has two wins over the Santo Tomas within the elimination spherical, and ending up tied with the Girl Falcons will put the Tigresses at No. 4 and a twice-to-win activity towards powerhouse league chief La Salle.
Relentless assault
The Girl Falcons, who haven’t crushed the Girl Bulldogs this yr and will hope to be No. 3 at greatest, shut out towards ousted Far Japanese College on Sunday, with the Nationwide-Ateneo tussle slated the day earlier than the place the Girl Spikers tackle light-weight College of the East. Santo Tomas versus UP will convey the curtains down on the elimination spherical on Sunday at FilOil EcoOil Centre.
Alyssa Solomon was on the forefront of the relentless NU assault, ending with 17 factors highlighted by 15 kills, whereas Belen and Evangeline Alinsug had 16 and 10 factors, respectively, because the Girl Bulldogs exacted candy revenge on the Tigresses, who conquered NU within the first spherical that ended a 20-game win streak.
Santo Tomas certainly hoped it gained this one, which might have counted extra transferring ahead.
“We got here up brief on this recreation. We are going to return to the drafting board, examine the stats and put together once more for our subsequent recreation,” stated Santo Tomas coach Kungfu Reyes. “The turning level got here within the second set after we have been up by 4 earlier than we dedicated lapses.”
Hounded by errors
“We don’t have management anymore on the place we’d find yourself within the Remaining 4. We simply should concentrate on getting ready ourselves no matter whom we face,’’ stated Reyes.
Eya Laure led the Tigresses with 17 factors whereas center blocker Imee Hernandez contributed 14 factors and 4 blocks within the loss that damage their possibilities of advancing to the title sequence.
“They (Girl Bulldogs) got here in additional ready and wished this recreation greater than we did. What we will do is to double and even triple our efforts in apply beginning tomorrow as we put together for our succeeding video games,’’ stated Laure.
Errors hounded the Tigresses within the first set, which the Girl Bulldogs rapidly exploited coupled by environment friendly blocking and protection on their finish.
Laure’s crosscourt strike pulled them inside three earlier than the Tigresses fell into an array of blunders that widened the hole, 22-13, courtesy of a Belen block on Jonna Perdido.
The Tigresses have been off to a terrific begin within the second set, however the defending champions once more got here out extra hungry and targeted.
Alinsug and Solomon punctured holes within the UST protection because the Girl Bulldogs worn out a four-point deficit and turned it to a 23-20 lead on an lively down-the-line drive by Belen and Alinsug’s push.
“I noticed how we performed on the market and we have been capable of appropriate ourselves by way of blocking and repair,’’ stated Solomon.
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