UAAP: Lady Spikers escape NU in four-set thriller

The DLSU Lady Spikers were able to stop and survive the NU Lady Bulldogs in a four-set thriller, 25-22, 25-20, 21-25, 27-25, earlier today at the Fil-Oil Arena in San Juan.

Veteran Lady Spiker Mika Reyes led the Taft-based squad with 15 points of 10 attacks, three blocks and two service aces while team captain Ara Galang added 14 points of her own. Bench players Carol Cerveza and Mary Joy Baron keep to live up to expectations as they contributed eight points apiece. However, rookie Christine Joy Soyud dropped with only two points after her breakthrough 16-point performance in their previous game.

On the other hand, reigning Rookie of the Year Jaja Santiago led the Lady Bulldogs with 25 points followed by Myla Pablo who added 13 points.

“Nagbibigay din ako ng mga instructions pero halos walang pumapasok sa isip ng mga bata,” La Salle head coach Ramil De Jesus comments after the match. He added that he already saw the problem as early as the first set and expected that the game might go for a fifth set. The veteran head coach was just relieved that his players were able to pull the fourth set through to avoid a deciding set.

The Lady Spikers played good offense in the first set and benefited from a couple of errors from NU. Reyes, Desiree Cheng, and Cyd Demecillo made the noise for the Green-and-White as they were ahead by as much as six points, 17-11. Errors once again became an obstacle for the Lady Bulldogs and La Salle was able to score three straight points to take the first set, 25-22.

In the second set, La Salle was able to take control of the game behind the attacks of Galang and Cerveza. However, they committed three straight errors that tied the set at 17-all. The Lady Spikers were quick to make up for their errors and made a 4-1 run to take the set point. Kim Fajardo scored through a service ace to keep La Salle on top with two sets to none, 25-20.

The Lady Bulldogs showed no signs of giving up in the third set as they took an early two point lead, 3-1. Cerveza and Baron were effective once again for the Lady Spikers but NU’s Santiago was unstoppable to keep her team alive. Both squads have their own answer for every point of their opponent, making two points as the biggest lead of the set.

The Lady Bulldogs finally got a fair distance from La Salle with a four point lead, 19-15. Pablo’s attack went out to cut the lead back to two, 21-19, but she made up for the error to put the score at 23-19 in favor of NU. Galang made a crucial error to give their opponents set point. Santiago didn’t let her team suffer a late game collapse and scored the needed last point to extend the match, 25-21.

La Salle and NU were even at the beginning of the fourth set. Much like the third set, both teams were just behind each other by as much as three points. Demecillo, Kim Dy and Soyud committed crucial errors in the latter end of the set to give the Lady Bulldogs a three point advantage, 23-19, but NU suffered unforced errors of their own to cut their lead to just one, 23-22.

Coach Ramil De Jesus tapped Justine Tiu into the game for the first time but hit the net for an attack that gave NU set point, 24-22. Tiu was able to redeem herself and scored a successful attack and Santiago made an error to put the score at 24-all. Galang scored two straight points to finally give La Salle match point, 26-25. Santiago’s attack was too strong and went wide, handing over the victory to the Lady Spikers, 27-25.

With today’s win over NU, the Lady Spikers were able to book the second ticket to the Final Four along with defending champions ADMU Lady Eagles.

Up next for the Lady Spikers are the UST Tigresses who are trying to stay alive in the season after a 2-5 record in the first round. Both teams will have their face off on February 4 at 4pm in the Fil-Oil Arena.