UAAP: Lady Spikers bow to Ateneo in five sets

The DLSU Lady Spikers failed to keep their undefeated run in the UAAP Women’s Volleyball tournament alive as they fell short against the UAAP defending champion ADMU Lady Eagles in five sets, 25-22, 25-27, 16-25, 25-14, 15-9, earlier today at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Team captain Alyssa Valdez led the Lady Eagles with 26 points off 20 attacks, three blocks and three service aces while, Lady Spikers team captain Ara Galang led the Taft-based squad with eight attacks and three service aces.

With today’s loss, La Salle sits at solo second place while Ateneo is in control of the first spot.

Both teams played good offense and solid coverage early in the first set but the Lady Spikers were able to make a 7-1 run behind the efforts of Desiree Cheng and a few errors from Ateneo to take a five point lead, 9-4. The Lady Eagles committed a couple of service errors to help La Salle keep their lead. However, they rallied late in the set with a 6-1 run to tie the game at 21-all. Valdez made two straight attacks to give Ateneo a one point advantage, 23-22. The Lady Eagles scored the last two points to take the first set, 25-22.

Like the first set, it was a tight second set opening between the two squads, but it was Ateneo who took first a steady three point lead, 12-9. The Lady Spikers finally found their game at the middle of the set as Galang scored through a service ace to give them the lead for the first time, 17-16. La Salle played with composure in the set to hold on to a three point advantage, 20-17, but they committed crucial errors to tie the set at 22-all.

Galang sent her attack wide to give Ateneo set point but rookie Christine Soyud blocked Valdez to tie the game once again at 24-all. Ateneo rookie Bea De Leon was caught overreaching the ball to give La Salle the set point, but Valdez was quick to bounce back, tying the score at 25-all. The second set finally went to the Lady Spikers, 27-25, with the last point coming from Galang’s service ace.

In the third set, La Salle benefited from several errors of the Lady Eagles, giving them a comfortable five point lead, 13-8. Soyud and Mary Joy Baron contributed well off the bench while Cyd Demecillo blocked Valdez to extend their lead to seven, 18-11. Ateneo continued to struggle with several errors which led the Lady Spikers to set point, 24-16. Mika Reyes made a successful block to win the third set for La Salle, 25-16.

The two teams continued to play tough against in each other in the fourth set. Reyes, Galang and Demecillo led the charge for the Lady Spikers but Ateneo surprised La Salle with an 8-0 run behind the efforts of Valdez, Jhoana Maraguinot, Ella De Jesus and De Leon. The Katipunan-based squad dominated the set until reaching set point with a service ace from De Jesus, 24-14. Valdez finished off the set, 25-14, to extend the match to a fifth deciding set.

The Lady Spikers took the first lead in the fifth set, 7-5, but  Ateneo was able to catch up. La Salle lost their coverage and Demecillo and Fajardo committed crucial errors to put the Lady Eagles up by five, 13-8. The defending champions quickly scored the needed two points to stay undefeated, 15-9.