THERE won’t be room for another upset in San Juan tonight.
Far Eastern University made short work of University of the East, 25-20, 25-20, 25-23, in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament on Wednesday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.
The Lady Tamaraws have now won five of their last six matches, including their first two of the second round of prelims play.
The green-and-gold rose to solo second at 6-3, temporarily breaking a three-way logjam for second place with La Salle (5-3) and University of Santo Tomas (5-3).
A five-point Set 3 lead for UE at 13-8 was quickly erased by a 10-3 FEU blitz.
But in Jaz Ellarina’s best game for the Morayta side, an important chunk of her 17 points came in the homestretch just as UE began mounting a late comeback where it even tied the game at 23-all.
Chenie Tagaod’s down-the-line kill put the Lady Red Warriors away to secure their sixth victory which sent UE on the verge of an early exit from playoff contention.
"Since day one, tiwala ako sa simula kasi laging sinasabi ni coach (Tina Salak) na kapag gumawa ka ng sarili mong diskarte na wala sa sistema, parang mawawala ka ‘eh. Parang ibalik lang yung sarili sa pinagensayuhan at pinagtrabahuan namin lagi and everything will follow," Ellarina said.
"Du'n ako naniniwala na makinig ka lang, tapos lahat ng papakinggan mo, gawin mo lang and sabayan mo lang siya ng hard work, tiwala sa sarili, pati sa kasama at sa sistema namin."
Still no wins for UE
UE remains the league’s only winless team nine games into the season while defending champion National U was dealt its first loss earlier at the hands of erstwhile bottom-feeder University of the Philippines.
It also becomes their fifth straight-sets loss of the season — the most for any team nine games into the elimination round.
Their record? 0-9.
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