UAAP: Green Spikers succumb to Adamson, end season at fifth

The UAAP Season 76 volleyball season is over for the DLSU Green Spikers.

La Salle failed to clinch the last Final Four seed, losing to the AdU Soaring Falcons in straight sets, 25-20, 27-25, 25-23, in their play-off match earlier today at The Arena in San Juan. With the loss, the Green Spikers concluded the season at fifth place while AdU will join NU, ADMU and FEU in the Final Four.

Breaks of the game

It was a slow start for the Green Spikers in the first set as the Soaring Falcons took an early eight-point lead. La Salle managed to take it one point at a time and cut the lead to just four, 23-19, courtesy of an attack by Green Spiker Red Christensen. The Taft-based Green Spikers still tried to keep their hopes in the set alive with a point from Aaron Calderon but an attack from Adamson’s team captain Michael Sudaria sealed the set in favor of their squad, 25-20.

The Green Spikers redeemed themselves in the second set scoring four straight points to give them a one point lead over Adamson. The Soaring Falcons then played solid volleyball to retrieve back the lead. However, the Green Spikers came alive late in the set and crucial back-to-back attacks from Sudaria went wide to tie the set at 21-all.

La Salle utilized its blocking and a spike from Christensen put the Green Spikers at set point, 24-22. Adamson didn’t easily submit as they saved two set points through the help of Sudaria and Ernest Consunji. An attack by Christensen went out of bounds, but team captain Philip Cerveza managed to bounce back in the following play that tied the game again at 25-all. However, the Green Spikers fell short and lost the second set after a solid block from Adamson, 27-25.

Green Spiker Raymark Woo ignited the fire for the Green-and-White in the third set. La Salle was able to get their momentum and took a four point lead at 12-8. The Green Spikers held a steady lead against Adamson at that point. Just five points away from taking the third set and extending their play-off game, La Salle let their lead slip away and a crucial error from Christensen tied the score at 20.

La Salle hanged on and showed no signs of giving up as they took a one-point lead against Adamson, 22-21. A service error from Adamson still gave a good chance for La Salle to catch up at 24-23. However, Adamson did not wait any longer and scored the last point to win the match, 25-23.

Failed rally

The Green Spikers ended the first round with a 2-5 win-loss record, but played a surprising second round, winning five out of their seven games. They defeated the league-leading FEU Tamaraws as well as the reigning champion NU Bulldogs during their respective second round face-offs.

Losing a crucial match against UE in the elimination round finale which could have sealed a semis berth followed by a defeat against AdU in the tie-breaker ended La Salle’s race towards the Final Four.