UP Lady Maroons celebrate during their match against the NU Lady Bulldogs (MB photo | Rio Leonelle Deluvio)
by Kristel Satumbaga
University of the Philippines kept its flickering Final Four hopes alive with a morale-boosting 25-18, 25-22, 25-20 victory over skidding National University yesterday in UAAP women's volleyball at The Arena in San Juan City.
The Lady Maroons turned to their sharp serves by hammering down 12 aces, needing only 69 minutes in dismantling the Lady Bulldogs.
The win tied UP with University of Santo Tomas with identical 4-8 win-loss marks at sixth to seventh places with only two matches left in the eliminations.
Tots Carlos and Isa Molde led with 18 and 10 points, respectively, as the Lady Maroons exposed the Lady Bulldogs’ lethargic plays.
So out of sync were NU particularly in the offensive department that it managed only 24 attacks.
Jaja Santiago scored 19 points for the Lady Bulldogs, but here efforts were not enough to end the squad’s woes.
It was NU’s fifth straight setback for 6-6, but still remained at No.4 with only one game ahead of fifth-running Adamson.