University of the Philippines lives to fight another day after upsetting the second-seeded De La Salle University in five sets, 26-24, 18-25, 19-25, 25-22, 16-14, in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament, Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

The Fighting Maroons last defeated the Lady Spikers during the Isa Molde and Tots Carlos era in UAAP Season 81, six years ago.

With this huge win, UP, bouncing off from a tough four-set defeat against FEU, improved to a 6-6 win-loss record, and still remains in fifth place. They must win their remaining games—against UST on April 23 and Adamson on April 27—to secure a chance at a Final Four spot.

Defending champions NU is still atop the standings at 11-2 and has earned a twice-to-beat advantage, following their victory against Ateneo (4-9) earlier, while DLSU is tied with UST at 8-4.  FEU currently sits in the fourth spot with an 8-5 record.

The Lady Spikers led for most of the opening set and reached set point at 24-21, after a powerful attack by their team captain, Angel Canino. However, the Fighting Maroons launched a 5-0 run to steal the set, beginning with two consecutive errors from DLSU. An explosive kill from Kassy Doering tied the set at 24 before rookie opposite hitter Kianne Olango fired a service ace, and veteran outside hitter Joan Monares delivered the last point for Diliman.

The Fighting Maroons struggled during the second and third sets. UP only managed to score eight attack points during the second frame, compared to DLSU’s 16 attacks, along with two blocks and two service aces. UP benefited from DLSU’s 10 unforced errors, but it was not enough to claim the set win.  During the third set, UP was able to match DLSU’s 12 attack points but was still behind the strong blocking of the Taft Towers, scoring only one kill block versus DLSU’s three.  UP also gave away nine freebies, while the Lady Spikers only committed six unforced errors.

The fourth set became a close one, with UP and DLSU just exchanging points after the other, and with no team having a wide lead.  Tied at 19-all, UP staged another 5-1 run to reach the set point at 24-20.  DLSU was able to save two set points from back-to-back attacks from Jyne Soreño and Alleiah Malaluan, before Monares hit a crosscourt shot to extend the game to a fifth and deciding set.

UP had a comfortable 13-9 lead during the fifth set, but DLSU refused to back down, going on a 3-0 spurt courtesy of consecutive attacks from Shevana Laput and an attack error from Olango, before an Amie Provido service error sent UP to match point at 14-12.  DLSU team captain Angel Canino was able to save two match points via an attack and a kill block, but an emphatic middle kill from Doering sent UP to match point anew, while Monares finally sealed the deal via a strong down-the-line hit.

UP’s rookie setter Jaz Manguilimotan was named as the player of the game, dishing out 24 excellent sets, and contributing three points from two aces and one attack. The team’s top scorer was Monares with 16 points from 15 attacks and 1 kill block, while one-and-done Doering matched her season high of 15 points, including 12 attacks and 2 kill blocks.  Libero Yesha Capistrano had 16 digs and 16 receptions at 47% efficiency.

DLSU’s one-two punch, Laput and Canino, top-scored with 27 and 25 points, respectively.  Laput finished with a career-high of 27 points from 20 attacks, 4 kill blocks and 3 service aces, and also contributed to their team’s floor defense with nine excellent digs. Canino meanwhile tallied 22 attack points, 2 kill blocks and a service ace, and also delivered 7 excellent digs and 7 excellent receptions.  Libero Lyka De Leon was also a force on the floor with 22 digs and 23 receptions at 49% efficiency.

Having snatched a win each from three of the top four teams in the previous season in NU, FEU, and DLSU, UP will try to complete the feat when they face UST in their next match on April 23 at 1PM.  Meanwhile, DLSU will try to bounce back against the peaking Adamson team on the same day at 3PM.  Both games will be played at the Mall Of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

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