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UAAP volleyball: UST shocks NU to lock up Final 4 spot

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/sports/04/08/ust-040817.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">The UST Tigresses celebrate after completing a come-from-behind victory over the NU Lady Bulldogs in the UAAP Season 79 women&#x27;s volleyball tournament. <cite> Arvin Lim, ABS-CBN Sports</cite></div></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines – University of Santo Tomas is back in the Final 4 for the first time in five seasons after a stunning come-from-behind victory over National University at Araneta Coliseum on Saturday.Behind a gutsy performance from EJ Laure and Sisi Rondina, and the surprise contribution of Tin Francisco, the Tigresses battled back from two sets down to secure a 20-25, 19-25, 25-22, 25-21, 15-12 victory over the shell-shocked Lady Bulldogs.The Tigresses finished the eliminations with a 9-5 slate, and they have now locked up the No. 3 seed in the Final 4 of the UAAP Season 79 women&#x27;s volleyball tournament, while sending Far Eastern University to fourth spot.This marks the first time since Season 74 that the Tigresses have advanced to the Final 4.&quot;Masasabi ko na, na Final 4 material na ang mga bata namin,&quot; UST coach Kungfu Reyes said after the five-set war that lasted for two hours and seven minutes. &quot;Next step naman kami – hindi na kami magse-settle sa Final 4.&quot;&quot;Mangangarap na kami ng sobra-sobra,&quot; he added. &quot;We came from sixth place last year, at ngayon na-doble namin ang paghihirap namin, so we have a good result for now. Pwede na kami mag-saya doon, pero hindi kami nakukuntento.&quot;[I can finally say that our team is Final 4 material. We have to take the next step now. We won&#x27;t settle for the Final 4. We came from sixth place last year, but we worked twice as hard so we got a good result. We&#x27;re happy, but we&#x27;re not contented.]National U, which was trying to force a playoff for a semifinal spot, finished its campaign with a 7-7 win-loss record and missed the Final 4 for the second consecutive season. They had the same record in Season 78, when they finished in fifth place.The Lady Bulldogs were in control in the first two sets, and looked as though they were on their way to forcing a playoff after surging to a 9-6 advantage in Set 3. Jaja Santiago was virtually unstoppable, while NU was also getting solid contributions from Aiko Urdas and Jorelle Singh.However, the Lady Bulldogs&#x27; began to fall apart thanks to their unforced errors, both at the service line and on attacks. A mishit by Santiago helped UST take a 20-15 lead, though NU would rally to within one point, 22-23, off an ace by Santiago.Unfortunately for NU, Santiago&#x27;s next serve went long, and Laure&#x27;s off-the-block kill gave UST the win and kept the Tigresses alive. In Set 4, UST led by as much as eight points, 16-8, before Santiago took charge in front to bring the Lady Bulldogs back.NU was twice able to tie the frame, first at 20-all and again at 21-all, but they proceeded to commit four consecutive errors to hand the victory to the Tigresses.The two teams exchanged points early in the fifth set, but UST was the first to earn a three-point cushion after attacks from Francisco and Rondina put them ahead, 10-7. They went up by four, 12-8, after Rondina converted a combination play, but Santiago and setter Jasmine Nabor anchored a 3-0 run that made it a one-point game, 11-12.An overreaching violation called on Santiago put UST back up by two points, 13-11, but the Tigresses were stunned when Laure twisted her ankle upon landing from an attack. To make matters worse, her spike was blocked by Santiago, again making it a one-point game, 12-13.Laure stayed in the match, but as she was clearly gimpy, UST setter Alex Cabanos opted to give the ball to Rondina, who responded by finishing another combination play to put the Tigresses at match point. Dimdim Pacres then scored the match-winner for UST, clinching the Final 4 spot for the Tigresses.&quot;Ang hirap ng laro, this is semifinals kaya iba na ang istorya ng labanan. Hindi na ito yung basta-basta sumusuko &#x27;yung both teams. Kung sinong kukurap, yun ang madidisgrasya,&quot; said Reyes. &quot;Hanggang sa dulo, pitpitan talaga kami. Bwenas lang at kami &#x27;yung nakakuha din.&quot;[It was a difficult match because this is virtually the semifinals. Neither team wanted to give up, and whoever blinked first will lose. Until the end, we were toe-to-toe. We got some lucky breaks in the end so we got the win.]Laure and Rondina each scored 22 points, while Francisco, subbed in for the ineffective Chloe Cortez, had 11 markers. The Tigresses came away with 62 attack points to NU&#x27;s 56.Santiago scored 30 points on 25 attacks and four service aces, while Singh added 13 and Urdas scored 11. However, by the final three sets, NU&#x27;s supporting cast started to fade away, again leaving Santiago to carry most of the load.

UST is back in the Final 4 for the first time in five seasons after a stunning come-from-behind victory over National University on Saturday.

UST is back in the Final 4 for the first time in five seasons after a stunning come-from-behind victory over National University on Saturday.

UAAP volleyball: UST shocks NU to lock up Final 4 spot

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UAAP volleyball: UST shocks NU to lock up Final 4 spot

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 08, 2017 04:07 PM PHT

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UAAP volleyball

UST

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