THE ONE in 9-1.
AN unlikely streak-buster in the University of the Philippines dealt defending champion National U its first loss of UAAP Season 87 in five sets, Wednesday at Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
It was through a 26-24, 23-25, 17-25, 25-23, 15-12 comeback in which State U picked up its first win over the Lady Bulldogs since the second round of Season 80 back in 2018.
UP refused to let go of its hot start in the opening frame by erasing NU’s set point at 24-23 with a 3-0 blitz through a pair of attacks from Niña Ytang and an attack error from Alyssa Solomon.
Ytang produced 11 of her career-high 30 points in that first set alone.
"Speechless. Bilog po talaga ang bola," said Ytang.
"Sabi nga namin nu'ng pag-start ng fifth set, 'Ito na, malayo na tayo, bakit pa tayo susuko?' Nilaban lang po talaga namin, tulungan lang at tiyaga lang talaga sa loob ng court.
"Sobrang laking bagay po sa 'min 'to, sa team. 'Di lang po para sa'kin kasi nakakatulong po talaga siya pampataas ng morale ng buong team po talaga. Bawal sumuko 'yung kahit sinong isa sa amin. Kailangan sabay-sabay po talaga kami aangat, walang bibitaw."
The most by a Fighting Maroon in recent memory? Now-Creamline ace Tots Carlos with 32 in four sets over University of Santo Tomas, also in Season 80.
NU sweep, no more
Joan Monares' off-speed hit to rattle the Lady Bulldogs' defense proved to be the finisher that handed UP a monumental upset victory that ensures there won't be a tournament sweep nor will there be stepladder semifinals, as all teams have now lost at least one game this season.
The last time the National U lost a UAAP match was in Game One of last year’s Final Four against Far Eastern University in straight sets.
From there, the blue-and-gold won three more games en route to the Season 86 crown plus its first eight games of its title-retention bid — making this shocker of a loss its first in the last 11 matches.
It also becomes first-year NU head coach Sherwin Meneses’ first defeat at the helm.
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