PVL: Lady Tams crush Red Spikers for solo lead

FEU’s Celine Domingo and Heather Anne Guino-o struggle trying to keep the ball in play as San Beda’s Aurea Racraquin (18) and Lynne Matias (partly hidden) look on.
FEU’s Celine Domingo and Heather Anne Guino-o struggle trying to keep the ball in play as San Beda’s Aurea Racraquin (18) and Lynne Matias (partly hidden) look on.

Games Saturday
9 a.m. – San Beda vs Adamson (men’s)
11 a.m. – Perpetual vs FEU
2 p.m. – Perpetual vs UP (women’s)
4 p.m. – FEU vs SSC (women’s)

Far Eastern U bounced back from a scrambling opening game victory with a more convincing 25-16, 21-25, 25-19, 25-22 triumph over San Beda U yesterday as the Lady Tams seized the solo lead in the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Collegiate Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

Celine Domingo dished out a personal best 22-hit game, including 15 attack points and four kill blocks, while playmaker Kyle Negrito produced 21 excellent sets as the Lady Tams recovered from a second set meltdown to foil the debuting Red Spikers and notch their second straight victory in the mid-season conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.

In its previous match against St. Benilde, FEU blew a 2-0 set lead but regained its bearing in the decider to escape with a 25-19, 32-30, 15-25, 24-26, 15-4 decision last Sunday.

After a dominant first set performance against the Red Spikers, the Lady Tams struggled in the next frame, enabling the former to draw level before the latter reasserted their might – upfront and on the floor – and swept the next two.

“We struggled in our middle attack and passing. But when they finally connected, we were able to get a good flow of the game,” said FEU coach George Pascua, who also drew 10 and nine markers from Ebon Lycha and Jerrili Malabanan, respectively.

Twins Nieza and Jiezela Viray combined for 29 points but San Beda’s top hitter and skipper Cesca Racraquin was held to just five markers.

Earlier, National U picked up its second straight win with a 25-16, 25-22, 25-22 victory over St. Benilde to gain an early share of the lead in men’s play of the tournament backed by Mikasa and Asics.

Madzlan Gampong took over from Bryan Bagunas as he hammered in 16 kills and finished with 18 points as the Bulldogs dominated the Blazers to join the Adamson Falcons at the helm after the latter repulsed the La Salle side, 25-21, 25-16, 22-25, 25-20, in the other game.