UAAP volleyball: La Salle spikers down Adamson amidst controversy

Pacesetting La Salle continued its remarkable showing in the UAAP Season 73 volleyball tournament, beating Adamson in straight sets, 25-11, 25-23, 25-14, Sunday at The Arena in San Juan City. Michelle Gumabao had seven hits, three blocks and four aces, towing the Lady Archers to their eighth straight win — and their first in the second round. But Gumabao also got more than a little help from her teammates as Jacqueline Alarca, Charleen Cruz and Stephanie Mercado combined for 32 markers. “Basta sinabi ko lang sa kanila na mag-concentrate lang kami sa laro namin at huwag silang mag-isip ng kung anu-ano at paapekto sa mga nangyari. Business as usual lang ang mga bata," said La Salle mentor Ramil de Jesus. The controversy De Jesus was referring to was his players’ violation of the league rule, which prohibits players from competing outside the UAAP while the season is ongoing. Lady Archers’ Clarisse Yeung and Carmela Garbin were found to have played in the World City College Viking Cup Open Invitational Volleyball Tournament. Through its board representative Bro. Bernie Oca, La Salle volunteered to inform the UAAP board about the case of their two volleyball players, who played four games in the first round when the team completed a seven-game sweep. Adamson, which absorbed its third loss in eight matches, was led by Jenalyn Pineda’s 10 points. The team, though, remained in contention as it kept a hold of third spot, just a game behind second placer University of Santo Tomas (6-2). In the other women’s match, Far Eastern University posted its first back-to-back victories this season after bringing down University of the East, 22-25, 25-13, 25-19, 25-17. Rookie Kathlene Magsumbol and veteran spiker Irish Morada tallied 17 points apiece to spearhead the Lady Tamaraws for their second straight win. The victory shoved FEU into a tie for sixth to seventh places with its victim, at 2-6 win-loss cards. FEU also made its presence felt in the men’s division as it outlasted La Salle in four sets, 25-22, 25-22, 24-26,25-23. Rodolfo Labrador Jr. had 23 hits and three blocks while setter Paulo de Ocampo and Ian Dimapaylo contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively, in the Tamaraws’ eighth straight victory. The Archers dropped to a 5-3 win-loss record. In the other men’s game, Ateneo sent University of the East crashing to the cellar after coming away with a straight-set victory, 25-12, 25-17, 25-23. UE absorbed its seventh loss in eight matches. - KY, RCJ, GMANews.TV