The UP Fighting Maroons Men’s and Women’s Volleyball Teams (UPMVT and UPWVT) scored a double win against the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors on March 30 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
This is the second time both UP teams beat UE at the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 volleyball tournament.
The UPMVT defeated the Red Warriors early in the day in four sets: 25-21, 25-21, 22-25, 25-21.
With varied attacks and good floor and net defense, the UPMVT took the first two sets. They appeared to sweep the game when they grabbed the lead in the third frame, 22-21. The Red Warriors, however, scored four unanswered points to extend the match.
The UPMVT then started hot in the fourth. Led by Olayemi Raheem and Tommy Castrodes, the UP Fighting Maroons established a 15-10 lead and never looked back and cruised to a victory.
Raheem led UPMVT with 22 points, while Castrodes poured in 16 points.
Meanwhile, the UPWVT coming off from a big win against the National University Lady Bulldogs last March 26, overpowered the Lady Warriors in three straight sets, 25-21, 25-18, 25-17.
It was a close contest in the opening set. With UE ahead by a point, 18-17, the UP Fighting Maroons showed composure and displayed good floor and net defense to snatch the set. The UPWVT then continued their good showing and dominated the second set.
UPWVT and UE then engaged in a back-and-forth affair at the start of the third frame. With the score tied a 5-5, Kassy Doering, Joan Monares, Irah Jaboneta, and Kianne Olango powered the UP Fighting Maroons to a seven-to-nothing scoring blast for a 12-5 lead. That momentum took the fight out of the Lady Warriors as UPWVT cruised to their fifth win in 10 outings.
Monares led UPWVT with 15 points, while Jaboneta chipped in 13 points. Doering and Olango scored eight points apiece.
The UP Fighting Maroons’ next match is scheduled for April 6. The UPMVT will face the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws at 9 a.m., while the UPWVT will take on the FEU Lady Tamaraws at 1 p.m. Both games will be held at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.