MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws finally got one over the University of the Philippines (UP).

At the mercy of the Lady Maroons since the preseason, FEU finally snatched a win over UP in 4 sets, 25-21, 19-25, 25-23, 25-22, in the UAAP Season 81 women’s volleyball tournament on Saturday, April 6 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

FEU leaned on the stellar performances of its veterans as the Lady Tamaraws got ahead in the standings for a share of 3rd with University of Santo Tomas at 7-4 and relegated the Lady Maroons to 5th place at 6-5.

Heather Guino-o fired a career-high 22 points off 18 attacks and 4 aces to go with 22 excellent digs and 12 excellent receptions to power a solid FEU showing.

Captain Jerrili Malabanan also impressed with a season-high 17 points, while Kyle Negrito bounced back with 35 excellent sets.

For head coach George Pascua, FEU managed to execute the game plan and most of all, move on from a straight-set beating from Ateneo.

“Ang motto namin: ‘Matapang ako, lalaban ako, kaya ko.’ So iyon ’yung inemphasize ko sa players ko after namin matalo sa Ateneo,” Pascua said of the Lady Tamaraws, who have been playing minus injured star rookie Lycha Ebon.

(Our motto is: I’m tough, I’ll fight, and I’ll do it. That’s what I emphasized after we lost to Ateneo.)

UP’s Tots Carlos took  topscoring duties, leading the team with 22 points off 19 spikes, 2 aces and 1 block while veteran Isa Molde returned from injury but played limited limits.

FEU had a stronger finish in the opening frame, pulling away as Ivana Agudo’s spike sparked a decisive 11-2 run on the way to a 25-21 set lead.

UP, though, turned back the Lady Tamaraws in the next frame, 25-19, by capitalizing on their errors to equalize the match at one set apiece.

The Lady Maroons sustained their second set-momentum with a 6-0 start to the 3rd set, but FEU managed to erase their deficit as a 6-2 run midway in the set knotted the score at 17-all.

FEU pulled all the way to set point, 24-19, until UP unleashed a 4-0 comeback that was only halted by a Czarina Carandang check for a 2-1 FEU match lead.

It was a neck-and-neck battle in the 4th set but FEU broke the deadlock at the end-game as France Ronquillo’s ace capped off the Lady Tamaraws’ 3-0 spurt, 23-19.

Carlos lifted the Lady Maroons with back-to-back attacks, but Malabanan’s check notched match point before Guino-o sealed the win.  – Rappler.com