MANILA, Philippines – De La Salle University bucked an injury scare to star utility spiker Kianna Dy to overpower University of Santo Tomas (UST) and clinch a twice-to-beat bonus in the Final 4 of the UAAP Season 79 women's volleyball tournament on Wednesday at the Filoil Flying V Centre.
Dy suffered a minor ankle sprain early in the third set, but the Lady Spikers still had enough firepower to cruise to a 25-23, 25-22, 25-21 victory.
"Confident naman ako kasi nagpa-practice naman ang mga players," said La Salle coach Ramil de Jesus of Dy's absence in the third set. "Sabi ko doon sa pumalit (Arriane Layug), ito na 'yung break mo. Hindi natin kailangan si Kianna Dy para manalo."
The loss dropped the Tigresses to 7-5, and are now tied for third to fifth places along with idle National University and University of the Philippines.
The Lady Spikers had to rally from a slim deficit in the opening set, as UST surged ahead 18-14, thanks to the booming attacks of skipper Sisi Rondina. However, kills from Tin Tiamzon and middle hitters Majoy Baron and Aduke Ogunsanya helped La Salle work its way back.
UST last took the lead, 22-21, off a service error by Baron, but La Salle ended the frame on a 4-1 blast, capped by an offspeed hit from Dy that the Tigresses failed to properly receive.
In the second set, it was the Tigresses' turn to rally. After La Salle reached set point, 24-19, on a service error by Rondina, UST saved three set points as EJ Laure proved unstoppable. However, the Tigresses failed to contain Baron, whose running attack foiled UST's comeback attempt.
La Salle was ahead for most of the third set and not even Dy's injury could stop the momentum as Layug came in and blended in seamlessly with the other Lady Spikers.
"'Yung pumalit, okay naman," De Jesus later said of Layug.
As they did in the second set, UST rallied anew, coming to within one point, 20-21, off a hitting error by Maron. Again, however, they could not pull off the upset.
Poor receptions led to easy kills for Baron and Tiamzon, and the Tigresses doomed themselves when Rondina's service error allowed La Salle to wrap up the victory.
Desiree Cheng finished with 13 points on nine attacks and three aces, while Dy finished with 12 points on nine attacks and two blocks before leaving the game. Tiamzon added 11 markers for the Lady Spikers.
Rondina had 13 points, while Laure scored 11 markers. However, Laure was also repeatedly targeted by the Lady Spikers on their serve, and she wound up with only eight good receptions out of 29 attempts.
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