UAAP: Gumabao shines as La Salle sweeps season series against Ateneo

In front of the 19,836 crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena, the DLSU Lady Spikers dominated the Ateneo Lady Eagles via a three-set sweep, 25-19, 25-23, 25-21 last February 9. This time around there were no extensions, no comebacks and no cardiac finishes unlike their first round encounter.

Michelle Gumabao played her A-game with 14 points while the sophomore tandem of Mika Reyes and Ara Galang combined for 19 points.

Team Captain Abi Maraño added eight points and three blocks for the back-to-back UAAP championship team for its 12th straight victory.

DLSU head coach Ramil De Jesus, however, commented, “Wala man kaming ginawang special o binago pero ‘yung ginawa namin noong first round, ganoon lang din. Mas mataas siguro ang mga morale ng mga bata kumpara doon sa first round.”

Ateneo Team Captain Dzi Gervacio and sophomore Alyssa Valdez both scored 10 points apiece for the Katipunan-based volleybelles.

Dictating the pace 

La Salle moved quickly as the opening buzzer went off. The Taft-based squad relied on Gumabao’s early outburst as she threw down numerous attacks to break Ateneo’s defense. She also scored five points in the opening set alone.

The Taft-based ladies also managed to stop Ateneo’s late push in the opening set after Marano successfully landed a couple of timely attacks to clinch a, 25-19, win.

The Katipunan-based squad came back in the second set. The opposing team opened with a 3-0 lead and retained it at 11-8.

Maraño and Wensh Tiu then anchored the team’s defense, which helped La Salle tie things even at 14 after an exchange of spikes.

Both teams tried to take the lead in the second set as the latter part of the second set had three ties and five lead changes. La Salle, however, had the final say with a couple of blocks from Kim Fajardo and Maraño to win the second set, 25-23.

Coach De Jesus stressed, “Malaki ang mga contribution nina Abi [Maraño] at Michelle [Gumabao].”

Spoiling a late comeback

The Lady Spikers looked to pull away from the game for good after taking a 20-16 lead after Mika Esperanza’s block against Jorella De Jesus, but Ateneo came back to life, scoring five unanswered points to take a brief, 21-20 lead.

The defending champion then returned the favor, scoring the last five points of the match for a 25-21 clincher. The team capitalized on Ateneo’s untimely errors and Cyd Demecillos’s signature drop shots.

Stingy defense

In a team stacked with tall and skilled blockers, La Salle showed its commitment to defense, finishing the game with 18 blocks.

Reyes led the blocking spree with six rejections, the same as Ateneo’s total blocks, while seniors Maraño and Gumabao both had three.  Galang and Esperanza both chipped in two blocks.

Aside from dominating the blocking department, La Salle also managed to contain Ateneo’s offensive juggernauts in Alyssa Valdez and Fille Cainglet. After scoring a game-high of 23 points in their first round matchup, Valdez was limited to 10 points as Ateneo’s top gun found it difficult to penetrate La Salle’s defense.

Cainglet, who scored 16 points in their earlier encounter, also had a hard time establishing momentum. La Salle managed to contain her to only six points.

Eliminations finale 

The Lady Spikers will play the team’s final game of the elimination round against the UE Lady Warriors this coming Saturday 2pm, at the FilOil Flying V Arena.

La Salle currently leads in the standings with a 12-1 record.

By Joaqui Flores and Rogie Vasquez

More photos at: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151336838199760.481731.149678604759&type=1