UAAP: Unstoppable Lady Spikers sweep first round

“Sa akin kasi hindi ko na iniisip yun [na undefeated kami]. So basta kami, kung ano yung darating na game namin, kelangan namin paghandaan. Hindi ko iniisip kung undefeated or may talo man,” shares DLSU Lady Spikers head coach Ramil de Jesus after his squad beat the ADMU Lady Eagles for their sixth consecutive straight sets victory of the season to remain undefeated on the season.

The Lady Spikers would go on to win their next game against the UE Lady Warriors, bagging a first round sweep and winning all their seven games this season in straight sets. With the sweep, the winning streak of the Lady Spikers is up to 23 straight UAAP games, dating back to the second game of last season.

Entering the season without veteran players Michele Gumabao, Wensh Tiu and Melissa Gohing was a big challenge for de Jesus and his Lady Spikers. Nevertheless, they came into the season determined and the loss did not reduce their drive to extend their streak as UAAP three-peat champions to four. The emergence of Cyd Demecillo and rookie Desiree Cheng, along with the presence of Abigail Marano, Ara Galang and Mika Reyes patched the hole for the Lady Spikers and they seem to even be better than ever.

Since winning their first game of the season against the AdU Lady Falcons in straight sets, La Salle stayed on the winning track and won their following games. Facing their familiar foes, the UST Tigresses, the only team to beat them last season, the Lady Spikers showed no signs of letting their guard down. Despite UST coming back stronger in the second set, La Salle immediately finished the game in the third set to clinch their second straight set win.

Many fans and spectators regarded the face-off between the Lady Spikers and the NU Lady Bulldogs as a preview for the upcoming Finals. However, even with NU’s height advantage, they were unable to escape the tight hands of the Lady Spikers as they too fell in straight sets.

After winning over NU, the Lady Spikers took down the UP Lady Maroons. Regardless of UP’s expertise in the blocking department, the Lady Spikers proved that they remain the best blocking team in the league with 10 blocks compared to only four for UP.

The Taft-based Lady Spikers continued their winning ways after sweeping the FEU Lady Tamaraws. Galang fired up the Lady Spikers, scoring a season high of 18 points. With almost a week to prepare, the Lady Spikers then faced their archrivals, the ADMU Lady Eagles. The match was held at the MOA Arena, the same venue where they faced each other during the second and final game of last season’s UAAP Women’s Volleyball finals.

Despite starting a little slow in the first set and accumulating a couple of errors in the attack and receive areas, the Lady Spikers were able to gradually set the correct rhythm to make better plays. La Salle nearly collapsed in the second set, but they managed to take it one point at a time towards a better third set and all the way to another straight set triumph, this time against their chief rivals.

To cap off the first round, the Lady Spikers kept UE winless with another win in straight sets. After a dominant first set, de Jesus managed to give his second unit, especially the younger members of the squad, extended playing time—a move which is bound to pay dividends not just later this season, but in the years to come.

Though they have been successful over the course of the season thus far, the Lady Spikers still do not have a sense of accomplishment as they continue to seek their only goal of the season–a fourth consecutive UAAP championship. The team’s first round sweep composed purely of wins in straight sets is a historical milestone, but they are after an even greater achievement. No team in the league’s history has won four straight and this squad aims to gain the distinction of being the first team to attain this feat.