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FEU is finally a
Shakey’s V-League Champion after 10 seasons.
(Photo by Marione Paul Infantado
of the FEU Advocate)
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By CHINO RAZON
May
25, 2014
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The Far Eastern
University Lady Tamaraws dethroned last season’s champs, the National
University Lady Bulldogs, using a straight sets win, 25-21 25-23 25-18, Sunday
at the FilOil Flying V Arena, to sweep the best-of-three Finals series of the
Shakey’s V-League Season 11 - First Conference.
The Lady Tamaraws
dominated the league upon the arrival of reinforcements Rachelle Ann Daquis and
Jovelyn Gonzaga.
“Sila talaga yung
nagsalba sa amin,” Coach Shaq Delos Santos admitted as his team struggled in
the preliminary round prior to the addition of the veterans. “Salba talaga
dahil almost di kami makapasok sa quarterfinals.”
The additional
experience of the duo helped FEU, but Daquis insisted that it was an entire
team effort.
“Siguro tumaas
lang yung confidence ng mga bata kasi alam nila na may ate sila,” said the
Finals Most Valuable Player. “Pero sa totoo lang, sila talaga yung nagstep-up.”
In the first set,
the Lady Bulldogs entered the first technical timeout on top at 8-5, sparked by
Dindin Santiago’s ever-reliable offense. But the guest duo of Daquis and
Gonzaga prevented the Lady Bulldogs from picking up any momentum with a variety
of drop shots and well-placed kills to the open zone.
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The FEU Lady Tams
celebrate knocking down defending champs NU Lady Bulldogs.
Photo by Jeff Venancio
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FEU kept up the
pressure with a run, highlighted by Bernadette Pons’ three consecutive service
aces that brought the Lady Tamaraws on top by the second technical timeout at
16-12. They continued their surge, tacking on six straight points to give them
their biggest lead of the set at 23-14.
With the Lady
Tamaraws at an early set point of 24-17, the Lady Bulldogs responded with a
Santiago winner, an Ivy Perez drop shot and relentless front-row attacks. In
addition, unforced errors from FEU inched NU within three, 24-21. But the FEU
lead was too big to overcome for the Lady Bulldogs as a Mary Palma cross-court
winner sealed the opening set with a score of 25-21.
The second set
opened with an NU offensive barrage as they tallied an immediate 9-4 advantage.
But just like how the Lady Tamaraws retaliated in the first set, Daquis, Gonzaga
and Pons sparked a 6-2 scoring run that tied things at 11-all. Both teams
exchanged scores as the Santiago sisters, along with Myla Pablo and Carmina
Aganon, excelled in a series of combination plays.
The set boiled
down to a back-and-forth affair as FEU reached set point, care of a Palma
running spike at 24-22. But FEU then followed up their set point with an
unforced miscue that placed the Lady Bulldogs within one at 24-23.
Nevertheless, the Lady Tamaraws still emerged on top as an overreaching infraction
by Jaja Santiago ended the second set with the score of 25-23.
A power surge
halted play in the third set during the 10-8 mark, with FEU on top. Despite the
stoppage, the Lady Tamaraws were still able to maintain the pace of the match,
and cruised throughout the set. They finished the match with an explosive
Gonzaga quick attack for a 25-18 victory.
Dindin Santiago
led NU with 12 points in the losing effort followed by Jaja Santiago and Myla
Pablo's six markers each. The Lady Bulldogs were heavily outnumbered in the
service department, 10-2.
Yna Papa tallied
eight points and paired it with 21 excellent sets, which can be attributed to
FEU’s balanced scoring effort. Daquis finished with a game-high of 15 points
and was followed by Pons’ 13, Gonzaga’s 11 and Palma’s eight. - AMD, GMA News
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Match Result M47: FEU vs NU
