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UAAP: Lady Spikers back on track, Green Spikers still searching for first win

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As UAAP action continues in the sand court of UE Caloocan, the DLSU Green Spikers and Lady Spikers find themselves with different fortunes at the end of the season’s second weekend.

In the women’s division, after losing all of their games during the first weekend of the tournament, La Salle finally bounced back and came up victorious in two of their three games. Meanwhile in the men’s division, DLSU was in a different situation because unlike the Lady Spikers, the Green Spikers still found themselves winless as they failed to barge in to the win column after six games.

 

Proving their worth

The Lady Spikers proved their worth with straight set victories over the UE Lady Warriors and FEU Lady Tamaraws, only falling to the NU Lady Bullsogs this week.

The tercet of Kim Fajardo, Cienne Cruz, and reserve spiker Cyd Demecillo overpowered the Lady Warriors, 21-15 and 21-13 last September 7, Saturday. In a game full of hard-hitting attacks, head coach Ramil de Jesus’ squad exploited the reception and service errors of the Lady Warriors as they easily defeated UE in two sets.

On the fourth playing day of the tournament, the Green-and-White thumped the Lady Tamaraws, 23-21 and 21-9. Later that day though, they succumbed to the Lady Bulldogs in three sets, 21-12, 15-21, and 7-15.

National University’s tandem of Mina Aganon and Dindin Santiago was all business against the Lady Spikers. Fajardo, courtesy of her smart and powerful hits, bannered the first set victory over the Sampaloc–based spikers, but going into the second set, the Lady Bulldogs took advantage of the service and reception errors of DLSU to force a third and deciding set for the game. The Santiago-Aganon twosome then dominated the third set as they exploited once again the errors of both Fajardo and Cruz.

Prior to the NU game, the Taft-based spikers defeated FEU in straight sets. In the first set of the game, DLSU came up with a come from behind triumph over the Lady Tamaraws. The Lady Spikers erased a 16-19 FEU edge and rallied to grab the first set, 23-21, against the squad from Recto. Meanwhile, in the second set, the momentum was still on La Salle’s side as they effortlessly took over, 21-9.

 

 IMG_1507 (Copy)Surrounded with misfortune

Unfortunately, the Green Spikers have yet to find the right track this season, losing their first six games of the season.

The trio of the returning Red Christensen, Jopet Movido, and reserve spiker Mike Frey suffered tough defeats at the hands of the UE Red Warriors, the UP Fighting Maroons, and the ADMU Blue Eagles.

In their game against UE, La Salle looked to pull away with a 12-9 lead in the first set however, DLSU committed late game errors which UE took advantage of in the opening set. Come the second set, the Green Spikers took a 19-16 advantage over the Red Warriors, but UE capitalized once more and stole the game, 23-21.

On Sunday’s game versus their rival Ateneo, DLSU fell short in two sets. ADMU scored six straight points and took a 14-6 lead over their rival in the first set. The squad from Katipunan then topped La Salle with a nine point advantage. In the second set, the Green-and-White slowly crawled back to tie the game at one set apiece. With Ateneo already in the match point against La Salle, 14-12, Movido’s attack and a block point tied the game at 14. A down the line hit all the way from Katipunan then gave La Salle their fifth straight setback.

The Green Spikers then lost to the Fighting Maroons in their succeeding match. La Salle looked to crawl back from a 15-12 deficit, but the momentum was on UP’s side all throughout the game and they booked a first set victory with ease. It was an easy second set for UP as they pulled away early and closed the game with a 21-12 advantage.

 

Slipping hopes

The Green Spikers are now currently at the bottom of the standings with a 0-6 win-loss record and have officially been eliminated from Final Four contention. On the other hand, the Lady Spikers are presently in the fourth spot and are still in the running for a top four spot with a 2-3 win-loss record.

The Green Spikers will next battle the AdU Soaring Falcons and the Lady Spikers, will battle both Katipunan-based squads, the UP Lady Maroons and the ADMU Lady Eagles. Both games will be a must-win for the team as they seek to qualify for the top four.

Jude Ezekiel Orgasan

By Jude Ezekiel Orgasan

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