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FEU Lady Tamaraws.–UAAP PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Faida Bakanke is being challenged by a wide language barrier and yet she seems to communicate pretty well with the rest of the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws.

The Congolese rookie had a stellar performance for the third straight game in a backbreaking 25-20, 27-29, 25-21, 25-21 win over University of the Philippines on Saturday at the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament.

“I didn’t play well in the first round, so I’m really determined to bounce back,” said Bakanke after firing 19 points built on 16 attacks apart from two blocks and an ace for a 48-percent efficiency on the floor.

SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 86 volleyball second round

Refugia on FEU’s improvement in the second round. #UAAPSeason86 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/p8Ozj7hYQ4

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) April 20, 2024

With Bakanke gaining composure entering the climax, the Lady Tamaraws marched to a fifth consecutive victory, their ninth overall with one hurdle remaining in the 14-game elimination phase.

“That win over UST boosted our morale and leveled up the team’s mindset. Hopefully, we can get back at National University and have a good finish at the end of the second round,” said FEU coach Manolo Refugia.

Chenie Tagaod chipped in 11 attacks out of her 13 points and had 11 receptions and an ace while Tin Ubaldo tossed in 19 excellent sets for the Lady Tamaraws, who could only pray for a twice-to-beat edge in the Final Four.

What they aspire for only happens if two teams among University of Santo Tomas, La Salle and NU, which are all locked in a triple tie at 10-2, fail to win their remaining matches.

“I just wish all of our players are healthy, whichever team we face in the Final Four,” said Refugia.

Tagaod and Jean Asis both profitably went for the end line where UP’s defense was frail as the Lady Tamaraws pulled away, 21-16, in the opening set.

Bakanke then took the initiative of closing it out, pummeling the other side with an off-the-block strike plus a block on Joan Monares before tallying her 11th point with an authoritative down-the-line hit.

The Lady Maroons snatched the second set through the heroics of Jewel Encarnacion and mostly due to the miscommunication among the Lady Tamaraws.

Encarnacion scored seven points in that span capped by back-to-back hits prior to another Tagaod special off a broken play that forged the last deadlock at 27.

Stephanie Bustrillo then sneaked in a crosscourt bomb in the next sequence and Tagaod’s down-the-line smash failed to hit its mark, preserving Encarnacion’s efforts entering the third frame.

Bustrillo had 16 points and Nina Ytang added 15, including a pair of aces and two blocks for the Lady Maroons, who only had one victory to show after dropping their 12th game of the season.

Encarnacion tied the count at 19 in the succeeding set by knocking it down off a block as the Lady Maroons clambered from four points down and even led after Mitzi Panangin touched the net.

Panangin immediately made up for the blunder with an attack and a block off a Nica Celis assault, giving FEU back the advantage.

Tagaod walloped it down the line that went wide, but Celis’ elbow grazed the net that rewarded the Lady Tamaraws the set point.

Asis deflected Magsombol’s attack as they seemed headed to finishing it off until Bustrillo knotted the count at 20 by brilliantly piercing through FEU’s blockers twice.

But UP’s rally was short-lived with Tagaod scoring a power spike in the middle followed by a crosscourt hit prior to Panangin’s block on a Bustrillo strike at match point.