Adamson University soared past free-falling University of the Philippines (UP), 25-18, 25-16, 25-19, to close its first round campaign in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Lady Falcons overcame a shaky first half of the third set before igniting a decisive 8-1 run to complete the sweep for their fourth win in seven starts to tie Far Eastern University (FEU) and University of Santo Tomas (UST) in third spot.
Veterans Frances Mordi and Shaina Nitura kept Adamson together in the challenging third frame on its way to achieving its best first round finish since Season 85 (2023), when the coach Jerry Yee-mentored squad finished 5-2 en route to a third-place finish.
“We’re really glad we ended up with our best record for the first round since I took over the team but we still have a lot to work on so that we could be ready in the second round,” third year Adamson coach JP Yude said.
Mordi scored 18 points on 17 kills and one kill block along with seven digs and five excellent receptions for Adamson.
Nitura finished with 14 points coming from 12 attacks, a kill block and an ace while Princess Dote had eight points for the Lady Falcons, who outspiked the Fighting Maroons, 42-26.
Fhei Sagaysay tallied 20 excellent sets and added five points, mostly from heady 1-2 plays for Adamson.
The Lady Falcons charged back from a 4-8 deficit in the third and kept it close until turning the tables around with Nitura, Sagaysay and Mordi conniving to build a 23-16 lead in an 8-1 run that broke a 15-15 deadlock.
UP scored three straight points to get within four, 23-19, before Mordi finished the Fighting Maroons off with back-to-back attacks.
“Of course, we have our goals. This is our plan B to be at 4-3 although our goal is to be at 5-2. This is a good ending for us coming to the second round,” Nitura said.
Fina Ali finished with eight points while Joan Monares and Bienne Bansil had seven for UP, which absorbed a fourth straight defeat for a 3-4 slate.
With the Fighting Maroons adjusting their rotation after outside hitter Casiey Dongallo was ruled out for the season due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus tears, coach Fabio Menta faced a challenging task with his personnel.
In men’s play, De La Salle University pulled off a shocker over six-peat-seeking National University (NU), 19-25, 25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 15-10.
Yoyong Mendoza stepped into the plate in the deciding set, pounding the crucial hits, including the game-winning kill, as the Green Spikers racked up three straight victories to climb to a share of fourth with Ateneo de Manila University with a 3-4 record.
Mendoza scored four of his 12 points in the fifth frame for La Salle, which recovered from a 0-4 start of the tournament and defeated the Bulldogs for the second straight head-to-head match since the second round of Season 87.
NU suffered a second loss in seven games, tying UST for second place behind unbeaten FEU (7-0).
Leo Ordiales had 22 points on 22 kills and two kill blocks while Jade Disquitado and Buds Buddin had 18 and 13 points, respectively, for the Bulldogs.
Meanwhile, the Falcons withstood a 35-point explosion from Olayemi Raheem to edge the Fighting Maroons, 25-21, 28-26, 22-25, 25-27, 15-13, and snap a five-game slide.
Adamson tied UP in sixth to seventh with a 2-5 card.