FEU advances to first ever Shakey’s V-League finale, dumps Adamson in sudden-death Game 3

GAME #1s ON SUNDAY (May 18th) at The Arena, San Juan City

2:00PM (Bronze Medal Best-Of-Three Series) – Adamson vs. UST

4:00PM (Gold Medal Best-Of-Three Series) – FEU vs. NU

THE ARENA, San Juan City—The long wait is over for the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws as they enter the Finals for the first time since the league’s inception by triumphing over the hard fighting Adamson University Lady Falcons 25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 25-22 in the decider of their Best-Of-Three semifinals series of the Shakey’s V-League here.

Rachel Anne Daquis, the 26-year-old former captain of the Morayta lasses finally realised a goal she has always aimed for her former alma mater by scoring a career-high 26 points in an all out showing of brilliance. Daquis, who has won one championship as a member of the Philippine Army Lady Troopers in 2011, used a variety of attacks to bamboozle the usually reliable frontline defenses of the Lady Falcons and needed only 48 attempts to attain her numbers. She also recorded three service aces to round out an all-world performance.

“I’ve never seen Daquis this fierce,” one journalist quipped. “You could see it in her eyes, failure was not an option.”

Sophomore Bernadeth Pons added fifteen points, while guest player Jovelyn Gonzaga chipped-in twelve points. The FEU frontline tandem of Remy Palma and Genevieve Casugod combined for seven block points and registered ten markers apiece in the series-clinching victory.

However, it was the impeccable setting of incoming junior Yna Louise Papa that really spelled the difference for the Lady Tams.

Papa, feted Player of the Game in the win and a lock to win the conference’s Best Setter accolade, dished out an eye-popping 43 excellent sets; totally demolishing her counterpart May Macatuno who could only muster 24. The 20-year-old playmaker also used the amazing 28 “excellents” (18 excellent digs and 10 excellent receptions) from veteran libero Tin Agno to seamlessly set up the FEU offensive patterns. League insiders indicate that Agno is also a shoo-in for one of the libero awards—either Best Digger of Best Receiver—and this Game 3 showing punctuated the point.

For Adamson, it was the first time they had lost two consecutive games all season and cost them a chance to advance to their fourth finals appearance.

Outgoing fifth year ace Sheila “Bangnita” Pineda once again shone the brightest for the Lady Falcons with a team-high eighteen points, while Thai reinforcement Patcharee Saengmuang contributed seventeen points of her own in the losing effort.

Pineda, who will see action as a libero for her club team Cagayan Valley in the Philippine Super Liga All-Filipino Conference, tried to keep the ship afloat by working extra-hard on the defensive end; finishing with 18 “excellents” (13 excellent digs and 5 excellent receptions), but there were hardly any major contributions on other fronts as Adamson now has to be content on duelling against collegiate rival the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses in the Bronze Medal Series which will precede Game 1 of the Finals on Sunday (May 18th).

FEU will now face the defending champions National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs; winners of four straight postseason tiffs.

The Lady Bulldogs will be one key player short as starting utility-spiker Aiko Urdas suffered a season-ending ACL tear on her left knee. Despite Urdas’ absence, NU is still slightly favored against the Lady Tamaraws due to the splendid play of their very tall frontline starring Jaja and Din-Din Santiago, the latter being the frontrunner for the much coveted MVP award.

FEU Head Coach Shaq de los Santos now hopes that the Lady Tamaraws edge in experience—especially from its two national team guest players—can offset NU’s obvious height advantage.

“Pagalingan naman ang laro dito, hindi patangkaran,” he said. “Maganda nilalaro ng lahat. Sana tumuloy-tuloy na.”

Expect a capacity crowd whose majority could swing to the side of the underdog Lady Tamaraws when their titular series commences this Sunday.

BOXSCORES:

Far Eastern University def. Adamson University—25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 25-22; wins series 2-1

FEU—Daquis 26, Pons 15, Gonzaga 12, Palma 12, Casugod 10, Papa 2, Dionela 1, Simborio 1, Agno (L) 0.

AdU—Pineda 18, Saengmuang 17, Paat 13, Soriano 10, Galanza 4, Villanueva 3, Macatuno 2, Tempiatura (L) 0, Listana (L) 0, Emnas 0, Lebumfacil 0, Cortel 0.