The FEU Lady Tamaraws avert a meltdown in set 4 to complete their bounce back win over the UP Fighting Maroons in UAAP Season 87.
The FEU Lady Tamaraws protected their place in the top-4 of the standings as they repulsed the UP Fighting Maroons, 25-21, 25-16, 14-25, 26-24, in the second round of UAAP Season 87 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.
Improving to 7-4, the Lady Tams placed themselves at no. 3 in the standings, and gave the NU Lady Bulldogs the first official pass into the Final Four by handing UP it’s sixth loss of the tournament.
FEU survived a ferocious UP comeback in set 4 where the Fighting Maroons fought back from a 3-12 deficit.
A scalding 17-4 run put the Fighting Maroons ahead, 20-16, late in set 4. But Chenie Tagaod and Faida Bakanke willed the Lady Tams back to avoid a deciding fifth set.
FEU went on its own 8-2 run to reach match point off of a Bakanke crosscourt hit.
But the Fighting Maroons went down swinging as Irah Jaboneta and Kassy Doering scored on back-to-back rallies to extend the match, 24-all.
UP would shoot themselves in the foot, though, as Kianne Olango committed a crucial error which set up a Tin Ubaldo block on Joan Monares in the next rally to seal the deal for the Lady Tams.Bakanke ended up Player of the Game with 20 points and seven excellent digs.
Gerz Petallo, for her part, had a triple-double of 14 points, 10 excellent digs, and 13 excellent receptions.
Tagaod chipped in with 14 points and 18 excellent receptions for FEU.
Olango, Jaboneta, and Monares all had 13 points each to pace the Fighting Maroons in the losing effort.
UP stumbled to 5-6 to stay at 5th place in the standings.