MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws bounced back from their loss to Ateneo with a sweep of UAAP rivals University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses, 25-19, 25-21, 25-23, on Wednesday, March 14 at the Filoil Flying V Centre. 

After trading attacks to tie the score at 23-all in the 3rd set, Bernadeth Pons’s attack brought it to set point and a service ace by Czarina Caradang sealed the straight set win for FEU. 

The Lady Tamaraws improve their record to 6-3, while the Tigresses fall to a 5-game losing streak with a 2-7 record in the UAAP Season 80 Women’s Volleyball tournament. 

Pons finished with 15 points, which was 10 points higher than her previous 5-point outing against Ateneo, and she made 18 excellent digs. 

Sisi Rondina led the Tigresses with 11 points. 

UST nabbed an early 8-5 lead in set the momentum to their side. The Lady Tamaraws rallied back from the deficit to take the lead by the second technical timeout, 16-14. FEU was 3 points away from taking the set until back-to-back errors and a block by Rondina allowed UST to get within two points, 22-20. 

Back-to-back aces by Chinchin Basas allowed FEU to pull away and Pons sealed the first set after Rondina tried to close in again. 

FEU rode on their first set momentum and got off to a strong 5-0 start to the second set. The Lady Tamaraws blew the lead as their errors allowed UST to build up a 7-0 run capped off by two staight attacks as they nabbed the lead at 15-13.

The Lady Tamaraws raced back with a 5-0 run in the last stretch of the second set, punctuated by two aces. Pons gave FEU the 2-0 lead to the match with a down-the-line attack.

The Golden Tigresses attempted to prevent a sweep as they had a 3-1 start to the 3rd set and raced to tie the score at 17-all. The Lady Tamaraws pulled away with a 5-0 run and the Tigresses responded with 5 unanswered points of them all led by Rondina to tie the score at 22-all.

The Scores

FEU (3) – Pons 15, Basas 10, Guino-o 9, Negrito 7, Domingo 5, Carandang 5 Duremdes 1, Villareal 1. 

UST (0) – Rondina 11, Pacres 8, Alessandrini 6, Bicar 5, Francisco 5, Viray 4, Palec 3. 

  – Rappler.com