Coming off a four-set opening victory against the AdU Lady Falcons, the Lady Spikers aim to push their momentum further into the tournament as they seek to regain the UAAP crown. Barely scratching the surface of this year’s tournament, the DLSU volleybelles are eager to register a second straight win against the NU Lady Bulldogs.
Incidentally, during this year’s UniGames which was concluded a few weeks ago, the Lady Spikers and NU met during the finals, with the former eventually prevailing. And as the UAAP volleyball season has begun, La Salle seeks to maintain their mastery of the resilient NU team.
Opening performances
Unlike the usual fast-paced gameplay exhibited by the Lady Spikers for the past three seasons, their opening match against Adamson was plagued with miscues and errors at the outset. This was the reason why La Salle was unable to close that match’s second set to their favor. However, with Coach Ramil De Jesus’ adequate adjustments, the Lady Spikers found the holes in AdU’s defense, thereby staging blowout wins for the last two sets. The match ended with the Lady Spikers thrashing the Lady Falcons,
25-23, 26-24, 25-14, 25-17.
Team Captain Ara Galang emerged as La Salle’s offensive centerpiece as she notched 27 big points, off 22 attacks and five blocks. Camille Cruz also stepped up her game as she repaid her extended playing minutes with 10 points to help the team in their winning cause.
Meanwhile, for the NU Lady Bulldogs, things were not quite favorable in their opening match against the defending champions, ADMU Lady Eagles. The departure of the towering Dindin Santiago proved to be an obstacle for the rebuilding squad as they were easily swept by Ateneo in straight sets, 25-21, 25-18, 25-15. The valiant efforts of NU’s Jaja Santiago and Myla Pablo, who combined for 26 points, were no match for reigning MVP Alyssa Valdez’s 28 points.
The absence of an adequate front line also doomed the NU squad, as Atenean attackers easily diverted their shots off the blocks. Floor spacing was also lacking for the Lady Bulldogs, with Ateneo easily scoring points through drop shots and spikes.
New game, clean slate
With La Salle and NU set to face off in the volleyball court for their second match, both squads prepare to end the game with a win at sight. Despite the results of their opening matches, expect to witness a different ball game as the squads adjust to shake off the dust and errors committed in their opening matches.
After their respective season openers, reality has kicked in that this is a brand new season. La Salle is no longer with an Aby Maraño, and National U is no longer with a Dindin Santiago. But on top of these crucial losses, a breed of key players remain for both teams.
Galang, Mika Reyes, Dawn Macandili, and Desiree Cheng of the Lady Spikers, and Jaja Santiago and Pablo of the Lady Bulldogs will prove to be vital cogs in the much-awaited DLSU versus NU match up.
Today at 2 pm at The Arena in San Juan, the DLSU Lady Spikers and the NU Lady Bulldogs shall meet for the first time this season. Will NU bounce back or will DLSU continue to dominate?
