UST belles buck Tams challenge

Dragged into a see-sawing contest in the first three sets, University of Santo Tomas poured on the heat in the fourth and dashed whatever hopes Far Eastern U had for an upset as it romped away with a 26-24, 25-27, 25-22, 25-8, victory to stretch its unbeaten run to six in the Shakey’s V-League at the Lyceum Gym yesterday.

Mary Jean Balse shrugged off a sluggish start, along with her teammates, and dominated the fourth set with a kind of game expected of them as the Tigresses cut the Lady Tams down to size with their kills and stonewall defense for the victory.

It was the second straight time that the fancied UST netters were forced to a four-set game after the Lyceum Lady Pirates gave them a big scare before eventually bowing, 25-13, 21-25, 25-20, 25-23, last Sunday in the event sponsored by Shakey’s and aired "live" on IBC-13.

The Tigresses were indeed far from their form in the early going that coach August Sta. Maria had to sarcastically call his wards’ attention just to spark them up and play their usual game.

"Walang kabuhay-buhay ang laro nyo," Sta. Maria was overheard as saying during one of the team’s huddles.

That somehow brought senses to the Tigresses who came out of the fourth set with fire in their eyes, scoring at will on attacks while defending the net on each side and at center with remarkable resolve.

"Off lang talaga ang laro naming nung umpisa," said Balse, who scored 11 points on attacks and made three blocks to cop the Best Player of the Game honors for the second time.

Venus Bernal matched Balse’s 11 points on attacks and wound up with 14, the same points delivered by fellow open spiker Joyce Paño while center spiker Anna Eliza Fulo accounted for the team’s 15 points.

Center spiker Mary Ann Manalo scored 13 points for FEU, which fought UST’s power with power and control of the net with a solid defense in the first three sets only to lose steam in the fourth, enabling the Tigresses to score the rout.

The Lady Tams fell to 1-4 and found itself in a must-win situation in their last three games to keep their semis hopes alive in the event organized by Sports Vision Management Group, Inc. and backed by Accel and Mikasa.