20 March 2019
By Ardyn Gonzales
The University of the East Lady Warriors got back in the winning column after defeating the National University Lady Bulldogs in four sets, 25-16, 25-18, 24-26, 25-16, for their second win in the UAAP Season 81 women’s volleyball tournament, Wednesday at the FilOil Flying-V Arena in San Juan.
Errors haunted NU in the first two sets that allowed the Lady Warriors to take control of the match led by the wingers Judith Abil and Mean Mendrez for a 2-0 lead.
UE was already at match point in the third set, 24-17, when the Lady Bulldogs unleashed a sudden 7-0 run banking on the loaded serves of Ivy Lacsina including the service ace that extended the match.
But the Lady Warriors had other things in their minds as they responded quicklyin the fourth frame for an early pull away. The tandem of Abil and Mendrezdid wonders as they eventually downed NU in the first game of the second round of eliminations.
Judith Abil continued to be the main gunner of UE with an impressive triple-double output of 13 attacks, 29 excellent digs, and 21 excellent receptions. While Mean Mendrez had a team-high 19 points.
The game also saw the battle between the leading liberos in the league Kath Arado of UE and Jennifer Nierva of NU. Arado registered 32 excellent digs and 13 excellent receptions while Nierva tallied 30 excellent digs and 28 excellent receptions.
UE and NU are now tied at the standings with 2-6 win-loss records.
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