Adamson University came back from a 1-2 match deficit before outhustling the University of Santo Tomas in a tightly-contested fifth set for a 25-27, 25-20, 16-25, 25-22, 15-11, escape to claim the bronze medal in the Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on Saturday.
Trisha Tubu and Antonette Adolfo delivered at crunch time for the Lady Falcons, punching in timely hits in the closing stretch of the deciding frame to salvage a podium finish in the tournament supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Commission on Higher Education, Team Rebel Sports, Mikasa, F2 Logistics, United Auctioneers, Cherrylume, Eurotel, UPLive, Dr. J Rubbing Alcohol, Toby’s Sports and Nature’s Spring.
Tied at 11, the Tigresses committed a costly center-line fault that brought momentum back to Adamson.
Tubu hammered a crosscourt hit before Adolfo wrapped it up with back-to-back kills.
“We’re really happy we got the win and at the same time we’re able to make quick adjustments to take this game,” said Adamson skipper and playmaker Louie Romero.
The Lady Falcons also avenged an earlier five-set loss to the Tigresses in the group stage.
“I just told my teammates that this is the time for our payback. We really wanted this win,” Romero said.
Tabu led Adamson with 19 points built on 15 kills, two aces and a kill block while Lorene Toring added 14 markers. Rizza Cruz got 13 and Adolfo scored four of her nine points in the fifth set.
Down 8-11 in the last frame, the Tigresses rallied with three straight points behind Pierre Abellana’s consecutive spikes before Pia Abbu tied it at 11 off a kill.
Abellana poured all of her 23 points on attacks in a lost cause for UST, which settled for fourth after a promising campaign.
Regina Jurado had 18 points, Imee Hernandez added 16 including six aces while Xyza Gula chipped in with 12.
Meanwhile, veterans Vannie Gandler and Lyann De Guzman powered Ateneo de Manila University to a 25-17, 25-27, 25-20, 25-12 victory over the University of the Philippines for a fifth-place finish.
The power-hitting wingers fired 14 points each and combined for 22 of the 50 attack points scored by the Blue Eagles.
Geezel Tsunashima had 11 markers while skipper Faith Nisperos added 10 points for Ateneo.
The Blue Eagles recovered from a second-set meltdown with a strong showing in the next two frames including a dominating third set that saw Ateneo take a commanding 21-6 advantage.
Captain Jewel Encarnacion had 15 points with 13 coming off kills and Nina Ytang added 11 markers in a losing effort for the Fighting Maroons, who settled for sixth place.
On the other hand, Far Eastern University beat the University of Perpetual Help, 25-18, 25-10, 25-27, 25-17, to close its campaign at seventh.
Cheni Tagaod pounded 12 attacks and had three aces and a kill block to pace the Lady Tamaraws, who also got 13 and 12 markers from Alyssa Devesora and Mitzi Panangin, respectively.
Charmaine Ocado posted 14 markers for the Lady Altas – the lone National Collegiate Athletic Association team in the Top 8.