Gab Victorino |
By Ivan Saldajeno
QUEZON CITY--Only one team turned back beat La Salle this season in UAAP women's volleyball play.
The Lady Spikers lost on Wednesday night against someone who once had ties with that team.
Former Ateneo coach Roger Gorayeb steered his new team, NU, to a stunning 25-20, 25-20, 25-19 victory over La Salle in their semifinal clash at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The third-seeded Lady Bulldogs, who had to beat the FEU Lady Tamaraws to clinch a semifinal berth last Saturday, took advantage on the Lady Spikers' slow start and late errors to erase the latter's twice-to-beat advantage in the series, thus forcing a decider at the Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday.
Jaja Santiago and Myla Pablo each scored 13 points for NU, which won eight of its last 11 matches, all under the tutelage of Gorayeb.
Ara Galang led La Salle, which lost for only the third time this season, with 14. La Salle, however, has now lost back-to-back games as it bowed down to Ateneo in the final game of the eliminations last month, giving the latter a 14-0 regular season sweep and the outright finals seat.