UAAP: Adamson opens second round with hard-earned sweep of UE

Adamson’s Francis Casas. Photo from UAAP Media. 

MANILA — Adamson University successfully returned to .500 to start the second round of the UAAP Season 86 men’s volleyball tournament.

The San Marcelino spikers defeated the University of the East, 25-17, 29-27, 25-22, during their Saturday afternoon matchup at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. 

Francis Casas led his team after putting up 21 points that were built on 18 attacks, two blocks, and an ace, while Dan Gutierrez and Jude Aguilar got 11 and nine, respectively.

“Ni-remind lang po sa amin ni Coach George [Pascua] na mag-focus kami nung second set at mag-stick po doon sa sistema ng team,” said Casas after the game.

[Coach George reminded us to stay focused during the second set and to stick to our system.]

“This second round, talagang unpredictable lahat kasi may adjustments na yan, basta ang goal lang namin every time na maglalaro is must win kami kahit ilang set yan,” added Adamson head coach George Pascua.

[The second round will be unpredictable because every team will make adjustments. Our goal every time is to win, regardless of how many sets it takes.]

Down by five, 18-13, midway through the second frame, the Soaring Falcons were able to come back and force an extended set after Gutierrez and Aguilar steered their squad to a 19-all game.

Both squads exchanged hits in the following plays as the set went over 25, but a drop from Marc Paulino, who had seven points in the contest, and a cross-court kill from Gutierrez eventually ended the second frame.

The two teams engaged in a close affair yet again in the third, with the Red Warriors even taking a 22-21 lead late in that frame after a block from Josh Pozas, but errors from UE as well as a Gutierrez attack made it possible for Adamson to end the game and improve to 4-4. 

Pozas and Shan Camaymayan put up 11 points each for the Recto hitters, but they fell to 1-7 in the standings.  

Adamson will face University of Sto. Tomas on April 3 at the Mall of Asia Arena at 12 noon, while UE will be looking to bounce back on the same date against National University at 10 AM.