UAAP: Lady Spikers end UST’s undefeated run, force Game Three

The UAAP Season 77 Beach Volleyball tournament is not yet over. After dropping Game One of the finals, the DLSU Lady Spikers remained alive by defeating the UST Tigresses in a gruelling three-setter Game Two earlier today at the UE Caloocan Sand Court. The Lady Spikers handed over to the Tigresses their first loss of the season to extend the finals series to a third game.

“Dahan-dahan lang yung ginawa namin. One point at a time,” says Lady Spiker Cyd Demecillo after the hard fought win over UST.

Game One

The first game started with a blur with each team dishing out and at the same time, receiving attacks by the other. In spite of this, the Lady Spikers managed to keep the lead during the earlier stages of the set. The Tigresses were resilient though, being able to close in to their opponents in multiple occasions.

With the score locked at 15 points each, UST started to break away from La Salle and were able to muster a 6-0 run to take the first set. Despite their sudden collapse in the first set, the Lady Spikers were able to put up a fight in the second. A back and forth battle commenced throughout the duration of the match, which led to a draw at 24 apiece with each team hungry to find an edge over the other in the dying stages of the match. Due to a couple of errors committed by La Salle, UST won the second set to clinch Game One, 21-15, 25-23.

Game Two

Both teams had a close match at the beginning of the first set but the Lady Spikers managed to pull away from UST with two service aces from Demecillo and a drop shot from Kim Fajardo, giving them a three point lead, 7-4. However, UST took the lead from La Salle when they scored two consecutive points from the attacks of Cherry Rondina. DLSU tried to catch up to UST but the latter maintained the gap between the two teams. An error from Demecillo gave UST the first set, 21-16.

Another close fight occurred at the start of the second set as the two teams tried to score off points with their respective plays. Similar to the first set, the Lady Spikers slowly got out from the deadlock getting as much as a four point lead, 10-6. However, the Tigresses closed the gap at 13-all. The teams kept their distance close to each other as they tried to outscore the other team. A drop shot from Demecillo put La Salle at set point, however, she incurred a service error, tying the scores and extending the set, 20-20.

DLSU won the set after scoring from an error from UST and a service ace from Fajardo, 22-20. In the third and deciding set, both squads played another rubber match to tie the game at 12-all. Demecillo scored for the Lady Spikers to take the match point, 14-13. However, Fajardo committed a crucial service error in the following play to tie the set at 14-all. UST managed to tie the score at 16-all with a point courtesy of Rica Rivera but Demecillo answered back with an attack to take another match point, 17-16. A free ball by the Tigresses went wide, giving the win to the Lady Spikers, 16-21, 22-20, 18-16.

According to Demecillo, they worked on their defense in order to keep up with UST. “Maraming adjustments yung ginawa namin especially sa defense kasi syempre yung UST, we all know that magaling sila,” she explains.

With just less than a day to prepare for Game Three, Demecillo noted that lessening their errors and learning from their mistakes will be their keys to winning. She adds, “Tiyaga [rin] kasi dalawa lang kayo. Syempre ‘pag pagod na yung isa, dapat yung isa, strong pa rin para hindi maghihilahan pababa.”

Game Three of the Beach Volleyball finals will be played tomorrow, September 7, 9:30 am at the UE Caloocan Sand Court.