By ADRIAN STEWART CO
The National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs pushed the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles to the brink of the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball eliminations with a 25-22, 25-16, 25-15 victory at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Wednesday night, April 10.
Alyssa Solomon spearheaded the attack with 23 points, on 19 attacks and four service aces, while Evangeline Alinsug contributed 15 markers as the Lady Bulldogs stayed in third spot with a 9-2 record.
“Happy ako sa nagiging performance ng team namin kasi nakikita namin na pataas kami and nakikita namin ‘yung goal pagdating sa performance,” Solomon said.
“Pero hindi dapat kami magiging complacent at lagi dapat kaming may pinanghuhugutan,” she added.
After a slow start where the Blue Eagles led 9-5, the Lady Bulldogs turned the momentum around to secure a 25-22 first set win and never looked back, finishing the game in straight sets.
No Blue Eagles player reached double figures as AC Miner managed only nine points, while Lyann de Guzman and Yvana Sulit delivered eight points each.
They dropped to 3-8.
Meanwhile, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses (10-1) overcame a third set hiccup to defeat the slumping University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons (1-10), 25-14, 25-13, 28-30, 25-15.
Jonna Perdido equaled her career-best with 24 points, fueled by 22 attacks, one block and a service ace.
Regina Jurado added 24 markers while Xyza Gula contributed 10 points for UST.
After failing to close out the Fighting Maroons in the third set, the Golden Tigresses were blazing in the fourth frame as they established a 19-11 lead behind connections by Jurado and Mae Coronado.
The Fighting Maroons responded with two connections, but the Golden Tigresses went for the finisher with back-to-back hits from Jurado and connections from Gula and Coronado.
The Golden Tigresses were without rookies Angeline Poyos (dehydration) and Mary Margareth Banagua (recovering from an undisclosed injury) in their game against the Fighting Maroons./ASC, WDJ