Lady Archers notch 4th straight over Maroons

MANILA, Philippines - Four-peat-seeking La Salle proved too much for University of the Philippines, scoring a 25-9, 25-21, 25-19 romp to go 4-0 in the UAAP Season 76 women’s volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Arena yesterday.

Fresh from their 25-8, 25-22, 25-19 triumph over title contender National U last Wednesday, the DLSU Lady Spikers imposed their will and strength against the winless Lady Maroons (0-4) and essayed the one-hour, seven-minute demolition job.

The Lady Spikers still have to drop a set this season, stretching their unbeaten run to 20 games dating back to last year.

Season 75 co-MVP Ara Galang paced DLSU with 16 hits, including three aces and two blocks, as Mika Reyes dropped 11 hits and three blocks on UP six. Skipper Angeli Araneta and Katherine Bersola scored eight apiece for the Lady Maroons.

 It was virtually a one-sided affair in the first set, with La Salle racing to a 22-7 lead.

The Lady Maroons offered tougher resistance in the second and third sets.

The Diliman-based spikers, with captain Angeli Araneta spearheading the attack, managed to stay close at 22-21 in the second frame. But DLSU secured the next three points on hits by Ara Galang and Alex Tan and a wide shot by UP’s Monica Ortiz, to win the set.

La Salle stormed to an 11-4 lead in the third and parried UP’s attempts at a fightback to post the expected result.

The National U Lady Bulldogs, meanwhile, bounced back from their numbing setback to La Salle, beating the Far Eastern U Lady Tams, 25-22, 25-19, 25-19.

Towering sisters Dindin and Jaja Santiago combined for 36 points as the Lady Bulldogs took solo second with 3-1. The Lady Tams dropped to 2-2.