UAAP: Lady Spikers rise, Green Spikers fall in season opener

Starting their bids for the UAAP volleyball championship anew, the DLSU Green Spikers and Lady Spikers started their UAAP season 76 campaign against the current Men’s division champions, the NU Bulldogs, and the UAAP 75 bronze medalists, the AdU Lady Falcons, respectively last December 1 at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum. The Green Spikers failed to tip the balance of the scales to their side as the incumbent champions succeeded in maintaining momentum on their way to a 3-0 sweep.

Meanwhile, their female counterparts and reigning 3-peat champions the Lady Spikers started the season with high spirits as they swept Adamson in straight sets, 25-14, 25-22, 25-19. UAAP 75 co-MVP Ara Galang led the volleybelles from Taft with 16 points while Mika Reyes, and Galang’s co-MVP and team captain Abi Marano contributed 12 and 11 points respectively.

First match, first loss

The Green Spikers kept the match at a close distance as they had eight deadlocks with NU throughout the first set. However, a 10-5 offensive flurry from the Bulldogs proved to be too much for the Green Spikers as they collapsed towards the end of the first set, losing 25-16.

The second set shifted the momentum for DLSU after a 7-1 run to open showed the defensive prowess of the Green Spikers. Three points from their 7-1 run consisted of blocks, which allowed the team to get back on their feet and back into the game. The Bulldogs managed to turn the tables back into their favor though as NU’s team captain, Rueben Inaudito, sparked a 14-5 rally through a service ace that positioned their team into a scoring frenzy to secure the second set of the match. DLSU failed to contain Inaudito as he scores the last point of the second set to end it with a score of 25-15.

In the third set, however, the Green Spikers showed a reinvigorated arsenal as their offensive capabilities took over, with Raymark Woo delivering the first spike of the set. Together with Woo, Red Christensen led the team’s offensive charge as he traded blows with the Bulldogs to keep the score difference at a minimum. Ralph Calasin and Brendon Santos on the other hand then took over the defensive end for the Green Spikers as they contested the barrages brought down by the reigning champions.

In spite of the improved efforts from the Spikers in the third set, the Bulldogs’ momentum allowed them to gain the upper hand as a series of attacks rendered the Green Spikers’ short of a comeback as the game ended with a score of 25-20. Christensen and Woo led the team with eight and seven points respectively. Calasin and Santos also stepped up as the hard walls of the Green Spikers with three blocks apiece.

Getting off on the right foot

The Lady Spikers took charge early in the first set and were leading by as much as seven points at 19-12. Galang and Marano led the team with powerful spikes and great defense along with blocks coming from Reyes. The Lady Falcons started on the wrong foot, committing various unforced errors. The Lady Spikers brought their lead down to 10 and notched the first set, 25-14, courtesy of a spike by Cyd Demecillo.

The second set was a different story. La Salle once again took an early lead of six points, but the Lady Falcons were buoyed by the prowess of Faye Guevarra, Shiela Pineda and Amanda Villanueva that brought the set to six deadlocks. With the score at 24-20 in favor of the Lady Spikers, Adamson still tried to catch up, cutting the lead to two. However, Demecillo made a soft spike and once again ended the set, 25-22.

Much like the second set, the Lady Spikers showed early dominance in the third with back to back service aces from Mika Reyes. Adamson then cut the Lady Spikers’ lead to just one point, 16-15, forcing La Salle to call for a timeout. The timeout seemed to bring the best out in the Lady Spikers as they made a 5-0 run as they eventually took home their first win of the season with the third set ending at 25-19.

Despite their three straight set win, head coach Ramil de Jesus said that the team still needs some changes and adjustments. He explains, “Marami pang kailangan baguhin and iadjust lalo na ngayon na may rookie na kami sa loob and mabigat yung role nila.” One of the team’s rookies, Desiree Cheng, was seen in UAAP action for the first time and was a part of the starting lineup, contributing seven points.

De Jesus also expected Galang and Reyes to step up this season. However, the Lady Spikers’ coach was still expecting more from the two veteran players. “Ngayon medyo hindi ko pa gusto yung nilaro nila. Very disappointed pa ako sa kanila sadly kaya siguro practice pa,” he explains.

Up next for the Green Spikers are the UP Fighting Maroons, while the Lady Spikers will face one of their toughest opponents last season, the UST Growling Tigresses. Both teams will battle it out on December 8 at the San Juan Arena.