Spikers’ Turf: DLSU outhustles Arellano to clinch first win

The DLSU Green Spikers relied on timely spikes and forced the Arellano University Chiefs into committing numerous errors to clinch their first win in the Spikers’ Turf in straight sets, 25-17, 25-22, 25-21, earlier today at the San Juan Arena. With the win, DLSU is now at 1-1 while Arellano falls to 0-2.

Arjay Onia once again led La Salle in scoring with 12 points, while team captain Raymark Woo, who was adjudged as the game’s best player, added 11. Arellano was led by Benrasid Latip, who finished with 14 points and was the only Chief to finish in double figures.

The first set started out as a back and forth affair until DLSU held on to a 8-6 lead heading into the first technical time out. With the Green Spikers ahead by four, 12-8, midway through the first set, Arellano clawed back to within one, 13-12, before La Salle began to pull away again, and in the end it was Ralph Calasin who scored off an Arellano error to end the first set, 25-17.

In the second set, the La Salle and Arellano traded points until Woo and Onia took turns in scoring off spikes and forcing Arellano into errors. The Chiefs could not defend against a number of the Green Spikers’ attacks, resulting into the 27 points they gave up throughout the game. Calasin, Woo, and Onia led a balanced DLSU attack later on in the set, which kept the Chiefs at bay and eventually gave La Salle the set, 25-22.

The third set saw DLSU race to an early 4-0 lead that Arellano soon erased by scoring five points to tie the game at five. Woo broke the tie after scoring off a spike, sparking an 11-5 run that put the Green Spikers ahead by six, 16-10, heading into the second technical time out. The Chiefs tried to make one last run, yet their errors and a Dimayuga spike gave DLSU the set, 25-21, and put an end to the game.

Calasin and Rafael Del Pilar were also vital cogs in this match, as both finished the game with nine and seven points, respectively. DLSU scored more off Arellano’s errors, 27-21, and blocked 50 of Arellano’s total attempts. Christian Delapaz, Christian Segovia, and Christopher Soriano, who all combined for 41 points in the Chiefs’ loss to UP, only managed to score eight points, with Segovia finishing with seven and Soriano coming up with the only other point.

Up next for the Green Spikers is a match against DLSU-Dasmariñas next Wednesday, July 29, at 5pm in the San Juan Arena.