MANILA – National University–Nazareth School (NUNS) and Adamson University staged contrasting wins to keep their unbeaten slates in the UAAP Season 88 High School Girls’ Volleyball Tournament at the Paco Arena in Manila.
The Lady Bullpups leaned on the unstoppable scoring of Negrense spiker Diza Berayo, who erupted for a season-best 26 points, as they turned back the Far Eastern University–Diliman Lady Baby Tamaraws, 17-25, 25-12, 25-21, 25-17, for a 3-0 record.
Berayo, who drilled 24 kills, got ample help from Jhaynna Bulandres with 13 markers and libero Atasha Doroja with 15 digs. NUNS pulled away in the fourth set with a decisive 8-0 blast capped by Berayo’s finishing hit. FEU-D fell to 1-2 despite 20 points from Ifunanya Udeagbala.
“Kailangan namin maayos siguro ‘yung discipline pagdating sa game from start to end, kailangan nandun pa rin [and] same intensity,” said NUNS head coach Karl Dimaculangan.
“Actually, sobrang challenging sa amin kasi parang five players [from the team] kasama rin sa Asian Youth Games so ‘yung training medyo hati pa. So ‘yun ‘yung kailangan naming ma-balance, ‘yung preparation ng UAAP sa next game, and ‘yung preparation namin sa Asian Youth Games,” he added.
The Lady Baby Falcons, meanwhile, pulled off the day’s biggest stunner—rallying from two sets down to shock the University of Santo Tomas Junior Golden Tigresses in a five-set thriller, 18-25, 15-25, 25-23, 27-25, 15-11. The dramatic comeback likewise lifted Adamson to 3-0, tying them with NUNS on top.
“Based on the situation… sobrang hirap kami talaga sa first and second set. Sabi ko sa mga bata, ‘Kaya natin manalo. Kaya natin, matatrabaho natin. Balik tayo doon sa pinag-aralan natin, sa training natin, and then kailangan lang natin i-execute nang maayos’. So na-execute naman nang maayos [at] tinapangan ng mga bata especially ‘yung puso tsaka ‘yung mind talaga nila is maayos,” said Adamson head coach JP Yude.
Ellaine Gonzalvo fired 22 points and tallied 11 digs for Adamson, while Kristal Martin and Francheska Adem combined for 32 points.
In other results, University of the Philippines Integrated School survived Ateneo de Manila University, 22-25, 25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 15-13, behind Nina Abad’s 18 markers. Elisha Capus and Anya Callo added 12 each for UPIS, which improved to 2-1. Ateneo slipped to 0-3 despite Gian Damian’s 17 points.
De La Salle Zobel also scored a quick bounce-back, demolishing University of the East in just 50 minutes, 25-6, 25-8, 25-9. Jelliane Laborte top-scored with 14 while Justise Macasaet added seven aces as the Junior Lady Spikers improved to 2-1. UE remained winless at 0-3./PN
