FEU Lady Tamaraws’ Chenie Tagaod (9). UAAP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines-Far Eastern University has established a much stronger defensive barrier to subdue Oriental University, 25-16, 18-25, 25-23, 25-16, while consolidating its admissions Their final in the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Chenie Tagaod reinvigorated Lady Tamaraws with 20 points, 12 of which were offense, had two aces and accounted for six of her team’s highest 23 saves of the season.
“We worked on our blocking in practice, rather than focusing on our attacks,” Tagaod said after they took an even 5-5 lead after a close defeat, Tagaod said. before La Salle Lady Spikers.
Jovelyn Fernandez added 12 points and Mitzi Panangin had 11 points and 5 interceptions while set-up Christine Ubaldo fueled the FEU’s attack with a stellar 17 sets.
FEU coach Tina Salak said: “I have to commend the coaches for stopping and timing those saves and we really appreciate the way we do them.
Lady Tamaraws will take a long break before facing National University on April 16, but Salak won’t keep them in the freezer for long.
“We will just rest for two days, find some inspiration for the family and get back to training. Our remaining matches will be very difficult,” Salak said.
Out of sync in the opening frame, the Lady Warriors quickly regrouped with hits like the relentless rain of KC Cepada and Janeca Lana that somehow broke through the FEU’s defensive wall.
Cepeda’s breakthrough in a block pushed UE to a 20-13 lead, and another pair of outside attackers’ smashing power over the next couple of chains kept Lady Tamaraws from continuing. .
Lana scored in a serve-killer after Tagaod’s serve error, bringing them to the brink of winning the second set.
Tagaod made up for it with an attack in the back row, but Lana lifted a high-octane spike in the next play, equalizing the numbers moving into the third set.
Lady Tamaraws reversed the trend in the next bracket, immediately moving forward thanks to the efforts of Fernandez and Alyzza Devosora.
But when everyone thought the FEU had this in their pocket, the Female Warriors almost turned the tide.
Lana relentlessly dragged UE through 23-24 before Panangin deflected her last attempt to extend the set.
“We didn’t expect this position (5-5 draw). There is pressure, but of course we want to make it to the Finals,” Tagaod said.
Lady Warriors remained undefeated after 10 matches with Lana scoring 24 points from 21 attacks and Cepada scoring 12 more.
Lady Tamaraws then reinforced the net barrier in the final set, parrying most of the hits that both Lana and Cepada managed to muster.
Lana made it 23-16 with another attack, but couldn’t deny Lady Tamaraws anymore as Ubaldo blocked Cepada and Devosora finished it off with an ace.
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