University of the Philippines succumbed to De La Salle University in five tough sets 25-11, 18-25, 21-25, 30-28, 9-15 yesterday, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

With this loss, the Fighting Maroons dropped to 3-9, while the Green Spikers climbed to an 8-4 record, earning an outright final four berth and eliminating the Ateneo Blue Eagles (6-7), who fell to the National University Bulldogs (11-2) in straight sets in the earlier match. 

This was the second time UP came close to upsetting a top four team, with the previous one being their last game against lead-leading FEU, where they found themselves up 12-10 in the fifth, before the Tamaraws scored the last five points to snag the match. 

UP started strong in the first frame, with setter Louise Aballe activating his middles in Dan Nicolas and Milven Francisco and allowing open spiker Gelo Lipata to score. Lipata scored six of his 10 points in this set and contributed steady serving, staying on the line from 17-10 to 24-10, until a Nicolas off the block hit from the opposite handed the maroon squad the set.

Despite leading for most of the fourth, UP was unable to stop Noel Kampton’s relentless attacks. After multiple set points and highlight plays, including an Aballe one-handed set to Raheem from the back, UP was able to close the set after Raheem’s serve clipped the line, 30-28. 

Both teams traded leads in the fifth, with UP having a slim 7-5 lead. Then, La Salle held a slim advantage at 9-8, before going on a 6-1 run after Vince Maglinao’s serves disrupted UP’s defense, forcing them to commit errors and settle for out of system plays. By then, it was too late for UP to catch up, even with Nicolas and Raheem’s attempts to keep them in the match. 

Raheem led the team with 25 points off 22 spikes, two blocks, and an ace. Nicolas contributed 16 from 12 spikes and four blocks, Tommy Castrodes had 13 from 11 kills and two blocks and 17 excellent receptions, while Lipata’s 10 came from seven attacks, two blocks, and a single ace, together with his 18 receptions. Aballe, on the other hand, contributed 27 excellent sets. 

Kampton top-scored for the green and white squad with 24 marks from 22 spikes and two blocks, and was assisted by Rui Ventura’s 14 attacks and two blocks, and Nath Del Pilar’s eight attacks and three kill blocks. 

UP, still ranked sixth above Adamson (2-10) and UE (0-13), will look to upset the Final Four-bound UST Golden Tigers (8-4) when they face each other on April 23, Wednesday, 9 AM, at the Mall of Asia Arena. 

Meanwhile, La Salle will face Adamson at 11 AM on the same date and venue. 

This UP Fighting Maroons Club post is made in partnership with Jiang Nan Hotpot.