UP clears 1-win finish in Season 86 women’s volleyball, stuns FEU for 2-0 start

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Joan Monares, rookie Kianne Olango, and captain blocker Niña Ytang exude unexpected winning energy for UP to barge ahead of contending FEU and stay undefeated in UAAP Season 87 women's volleyball

MANILA, Philippines – The UP Fighting Maroons are off to a blazing start in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament, stunning the FEU Lady Tamaraws in four sets, 23-25, 25-23, 25-17, 25-23, for their second straight win at the FilOil EcoOil Centre on Wednesday, February 19.

Formerly a Season 86 cellar-dwellar with a pitiful 1-13 record, the inspired Maroons have risen to 2-0 in their new campaign and now find themselves sitting alongside defending champion NU at the top of the leaderboard.

Joan Monares led four UP players in double-digit scoring with 19 points, followed by 17 from standout rookie Kianne Olango off 13 attacks, 3 blocks, and 2 aces.

Jaz Manguilimotan steered the winning offense with 17 excellent sets as veteran blocker Niña Ytang added 15 points with 4 blocks.

Down 14-7 in the fourth set after taking momentum in the third, the Maroons somehow turned on an hidden switch against the charging Tamaraws offense, protecting the net and floor like the set prior to emerge with a 20-19 lead late in the clutch.

Though alternately lacing with a pair of errors in the last five possessions, Monares, Olango, and Ytang steeled their winning resolve in the end, respectively seizing the last three points to take one last hotly-decided frame for the win.

“So far, it’s great. We just tested out some things and they worked,” UP head coach Benson Bocboc said in Filipino. “Let’s see if they adapt further to the defensive system then we’ll take it from there, see how we progress, how teams adjust. One by one.”

Tine Ubaldo paced the losing cause down a 1-1 card with 17 excellent sets as Clarisse Loresco and Chen Tagaod scored 11 and 10, respectively.

Conversely, the Tamaraws made light work of the Maroons in men’s action, cruising to a 25-21, 25-16, 25-18 rout to stay undefeated at 2-0.

Dryx Saavedra led the win with 13 points, followed by 10 from rookie Mikko Espartero.

UP foreign student-athlete Olayemi Raheem stayed strong in the losing effort, pumping in a game-high 16 points as the Maroons skidded to 1-1 in the standings. – Rappler.com