UAAP: Lady Spikers end first round with a straight-set loss to resilient UST

During their statement win over the Ateneo Lady Eagles, the DLSU Lady Spikers came out of the gate with proper execution that prevented the defending champions from establishing any rhythm offensively. However, they couldn’t replicate last weekend’s efforts, this time against the UST Golden Tigresses, who relied on solid floor defense and timely offense to upset DLSU in straight sets, 25-21, 25-22, 25-21, earlier today in their first round finale at the FilOil Arena in San Juan.

With the loss, La Salle falls to 5-2 on the season, a game behind league-leading Ateneo. Meanwhile, UST remains at seventh place with a 3-4 win-loss record.

EJ Laure and Cherry Rondina led the Golden Tigresses with 13 and 11 points, respectively, while Alyssa Teope was named Player of the Game after finishing with three points and 15 excellent sets.

Ara Galang was one of the bright spots for La Salle as she finished with a game-high 15 points on 14 spikes. Majoy Baron was the only other Lady Spiker in double-figures as she scored 10 points on five spikes, four blocks, and one service ace.

The Lady Spikers could not build on securing the match’s first point as UST scored four consecutive points off La Salle’s errors to take an early 4-1 lead in the first set. Galang and Mika Reyes brought DLSU back into the game, with the latter’s spike sending La Salle into the first technical timeout of the set with an 8-6 lead.

The Golden Tigresses remained unfazed and tied the game multiple times throughout the first set. Galang, Baron, and rookie Ernestine Tiamzon kept La Salle on top, with Tiamzon’s service ace giving DLSU a 16-14 lead heading into the second technical timeout of the first set. Both teams continued to trade points in the latter part of the set, with La Salle’s errors giving UST easy points. The Golden Tigresses capitalized on these opportunities, scoring five consecutive points to take the first set, 25-21.

La Salle opened the second set by scoring four consecutive points only to see UST cut the lead to a single point, 6-5. Though the Lady Spikers would extend their lead to four, 10-6, the Golden Tigresses would tie the set at 11 after countering DLSU’s spikes. Points from Galang and a UST error would give DLSU a 16-13 lead heading into the set’s second technical timeout, but UST would tie the set at 16 through the efforts of Rondina. UST continued to find the holes in DLSU’s defense, tying the game at 21 in the latter part of the set. La Salle then took a 22-21 lead after Galang’s spike slipped past the UST defense, but to no avail as the Golden Tigresses raced back and stole the second set, 25-22.

Errors from UST and a Demecillo service ace gave La Salle a 4-1 lead to open the third set. DLSU’s floor defense continued to keep them ahead, with another spike from Galang giving them an 8-4 lead heading into the first technical timeout of the set. The Golden Tigresses would come out of the timeout by scoring four straight points to tie the set at eight and from there, both teams traded points until a Baron block gave the Lady Spikers a 16-15 lead heading into the second technical timeout of the third set. UST would once again respond by capitalizing on DLSU’s errors and timely spikes that would give them the lead, 19-18, courtesy of a Jessey De Leon service ace. EJ Laure would take over in the final moments, ending the set and the match in favor of UST, 25-21.

Though La Salle’s errors doomed them throughout the game, UST committed a total of 29 errors, four more than the Lady Spikers. DLSU had 27 excellent sets in the game, 25 of which came from Kim Fajardo, while UST had 20 in the game.

The Lady Spikers will begin their second round campaign this Saturday, March 5, when they take on the FEU Lady Tamaraws at 3:30 pm in the FilOil Arena in San Juan.