Volleyball: Adamson back in V-League finals after sweeping UE

MANILA — Adamson University took care of business against the University of the East on Saturday to take another step towards defending its crown in the V-League Collegiate Challenge.

The Lady Falcons powered past the Lady Warriors, 25–21, 25–17, 25–20, in Game 2 of their semis series at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan to punch their ticket to the Finals.

They will face another UAAP contender in the University of Santo Tomas, which swept Arellano University in the other semis pairing. The best-of-3 series starts Wednesday at the same San Juan venue.

With captain and Alas upstart Shaina Nitura back in the starting lineup, Adamson wasted no time in wrapping up the match in three sets.

Riding the momentum of their 2–0 advantage, the defending champions leaned on what had worked in the opening two frames—defense both at the net and on the floor—to erase deficits and eventually seize control.

Frances Mordi delivered a kill in transition before Adamson’s defensive pressure forced Keisha Famulagan into a reaching-over-the-net violation, giving the Lady Falcons a 22–19 lead.

Nitura nearly produced a triple-double in her first full match back in Adamson white, finishing with 13 attacks, nine excellent receptions, and 15 digs.

Afterward, she was full of praise at how the Lady Falcons played in her absence.

“Happy ako kasi collectively binubuhat talaga nila ‘yung team. Bawat posisyon may ginagawa talaga and gusto talaga nilang manalo. Nagbubunga na rin ‘yung investment namin sa sarili namin: ‘yung pagod, ‘yung iyak, ‘yung hirap sa mga past tournaments namin,” said Nitura.

Mordi once again led Adamson’s offense with 14 points, all coming from attacks, while Lhouriz Tuddao and Eloi added 12 and six, respectively.

Now one step away from a second straight crown, head coach JP Yude wants to see more of the team’s character when it takes on UST in the Finals.

“I know the capabilities of my players, pero sa mga pressure and bad situations, do’n talaga masusukat ‘yung character nila. Yun talaga ‘yung gusto ko pang ma-develop sa kanila,” Yude said.

Adamson had to shake off a sluggish start before Fhei Sagaysay found Mordi, as they have done throughout the season, for consecutive back-row kills that gave the Lady Falcons a 22–21 lead.

A Dote block and an attack error by the Lady Warriors handed Adamson set point, which Janna Dizon promptly converted with a service ace.

Buoyed by their first-set escape, the Lady Falcons zoomed to a five-point, 13–8 lead in the second with Nitura and Tuddao finding the lines with their strong hits.

Van Bangayan and Bea Zamudio tried to pull UE back into the frame, but Nitura delivered the finishing blows to give Adamson a 2–0 advantage and set the stage for the eventual sweep.

No Lady Warrior finished in double figures, with Edcynth Brago coming a point shy at nine.

Bangayan and Zamudio added six and eight points, respectively.

The Lady Warriors will face the Arellano University Lady Chiefs in the battle for bronze, also on Wednesday.