FAR Eastern University gave its Final Four bid a major boost with a 19-25, 25-20, 25-20, 25-22 victory over Ateneo in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament on Thursday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Tin Ubaldo was the architect of the Lady Tamaraws’ fifth win in nine games, chalking up 26 excellent sets and five points.
Ateneo, meanwhile, stumbled down the pack with its seventh defeat, which sent La Salle and National University straight to the Final Four.
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"Proud ako kasi 'yung mga pinag-aralan namin, although may lapses, pero na-trabaho pa rin talaga 'yung mga ginawa namin nung (Holy Week) break.
"Everyday naman, nagiging proud naman ako sa development ng team simula nung ako 'yung naging coacah. Pare-parehas naman kami ng tinitignan (na goal) so nagiging madali 'yung trabaho although may mga talagang kailangan p ng pag-adjust-an," said FEU head coach Manolo Refugia.
The Lady Tamaraws were troubled by an early string of error (22 in the match), albeit two less than the Blue Eagles. But in the end, 60 total attacks in four sets proved to be the cutting edge to clip Ateneo's wings after a two-hour, 11-minute contest.
Congolose rookie spiker Faida Bakanke played her best game to date for the Morayta side with a career-best 16-point performance to lead four players in double figures. On defense, Julianne Monares manned the floor for FEU with 20 excellent digs and 12 excellent receptions.
Despite a steady scoring night across the board, Ateneo lost its steam in the closing stretches of the three sets it dropped as Lyann De Guzman's 15 markers paced a Final Four-denting defeat for the sixth-seeded team with four elimination round matches left.
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