FEU Lady Tamaraws beat UP Lady Maroons, share UAAP third place

Games on Wednesday
(Philsports Arena)
9 a.m. – UE vs NU (men)
11 a.m. – Ateneo vs FEU (men)
1 p.m. – UE vs NU (women)
3 p.m. – Ateneo vs FEU (women)

FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY (FEU) wasn’t to be left behind in an arms race for the coveted second seed and twice-to-beat edge.

The FEU Lady Tamaraws drubbed host University of the Philippines (UP), 25-21, 25-16, 14-25, 26-24, to rejoin a hot chase for the Top Two in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

FEU shrugged off a third-set meltdown by erasing a 16-20 deficit in the fourth set to improve to 7-4 with three games to go, tying University of Santo Tomas at third spot and moving within striking distance of De La Salle University (8-3).

Congolese spiker Faida Bakanke rifled in 20 points on 17 hits laced by seven digs with Chenie Tagaod and Gerzel Petallo adding 14 points each to spearhead the way for the wards of legendary player and now head coach Tina Salak.

Tin Ubaldo quarterbacked FEU’s onslaught with 17 sets while Ms. Petallo added 10 digs and 13 receptions in an all-around brilliance.

“It felt like watching an action and drama series in one. It became hard for us to sustain big leads but at least, I saw the maturity from our team in handling this kind of situation. I’m happy with the turnout,” said Ms. Salak as FEU survived a back-and-forth fourth-setter.

FEU zoomed to a 2-0 lead with easy wins in the first two but was caught off guard in the third that set the stage for an uncanny duel the next set.

Led by Ms. Bakanke, the Lady Tamaraws erected an early 12-3 lead only to allow a 17-4 retaliation from the UP Fighting Maroons to stare at a 16-20 deficit. FEU swung back and moved to match point only to yield two straight points anew for a deuce.

An attack error from UP and a Ms. Ubaldo block on Joan Monares finally sealed it for FEU.

Ms. Monares, Kianne Olango and Irah Jaboneta scored 13 points each while Niña Ytang had 11 for the Fighting Maroons, who could have tied FEU for the fourth seed with the win but fell behind in the Final Four race instead at 5-6.

In the men’s division, FEU (10-1) clinched a Final Four ticket with still three games to go after a 25-19, 25-21, 20-25, 29-31, 15-12 win over UP (3-8) while National University (9-2) moved closer to the same bid with a 25-17, 25-16, 25-15 win over Adamson University (2-9). — John Bryan Ulanday