Adamson rebounded from a second set meltdown and dispatched St. Benilde in four while UST outfoxed Ateneo in a tense-filled fifth set to arrange a showdown for the PVL Collegiate Conference crown at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan yesterday.
Trisha Genesis sustained her Game 2 form and came away with 20 points, spearheading the Lady Falcons dominating performance in the last two frames for a 25-18, 14-25, 25-17, 25-15 over the Lady Blazers in sudden death of their best-of-three semis series.
St. Benilde took the opener but the San Marcelino-based school struck back in the next game behind Genesis’ explosive 24-hit production.
After bouncing back strong from a second set defeat for a 2-1 lead, the Lady Falcons broke away from a tight 12-10 game in the fourth as Genesis scored off the block and delivered an ace to key a decisive 9-0 run on their way to victory.
Earlier, EJ Laure took charge late the Tigresses repeated over the Ateneo Lady Eagles, 20-25, 25-20, 25-17, 19-25, 16-14, to clinch the first championship berth.
Game One of the fnals, another best-of-three series, starts on Wednesday.
Laure scored two of the team’s last three hits and ended up with 12 points. She added 13 excellent digs and 10 receptions in another superb all-around performance.
Eya Laure topscored for UST with 21 points while rookie Imee Hernandez and Janna Torres added 14 markers apiece.
Rallying strong after yielding the opening frame, the Tigresses poised themselves up for a 3-1 win but Faith Nisperos imposed her will and Ateneo put up a strong finishing kick to force a fifth set.
Laure scored the first two points in the decider but the Lady Eagles countered with their own two-hit binge and the two teams slugged it out shot-for-shot, block-for-block to keep the count tied at 13.
Laure then stepped up and delivering an emphatic attack to put UST at match point. Though Nisperos kept Ateneo’s bid alive, Laure scored on an off-the-block hit and the Tigresses moved to the finals on a Ponggay Gaston attack miscue.
Nisperos finished with 23 hits while Erika Raagas and Jules Samonte combined for 21 markers for the Katipunan-bases squad, which will dispute third place with St. Benilde.