In a span of one year, the DLSU Lady Spikers came from succumbing to injuries against the ADMU Lady Eagles in the Finals to successfully exacting revenge on their archrivals. They eventually secured their place as the country’s best women’s collegiate volleyball team once again.
The year 2016 presented many storylines for DLSU, with questions on whether they could ever solve the ADMU Lady Eagles, Alyssa Valdez, and the pressure of sending their seniors out with a championship. Once the tournament began, the Lady Spikers proved they were on a mission, defeating the Lady Eagles in convincing fashion and bringing the title back to Taft.
Entering Season 79, the Lady Spikers now find themselves in unfamiliar territory as compared to a year ago. If coming in as the defending champions places a target on their backs, then losing key veterans like Mika Reyes, Ara Galang, and Cyd Demecillo makes their quest for back-to-back titles a tougher hill to climb.
“Big changes, six nga yung nawala sa bawat position. Naghahanap kami na kung sino yung [magrereplace sa six],” head coach Ramil De Jesus says when asked about the changes the team experienced this year, adding that they hope to get 70 or 80 percent of the output they got from last year’s starting six.
“Malaki yung puwestong naiwan ng mga nawala kaya kailangan magdouble-effort,” team captain Kim Fajardo adds.
Sweet revenge
The Lady Spikers closed out the elimination round of Season 78 with an 11-3 record, highlighted by a statement win over ADMU in the first round that was offset by losses to the NU Lady Bulldogs and UST Growling Tigresses. The second round proved to be better, as the Lady Spikers only lost to Ateneo in a thrilling five-set match while besting the rest of the field.
Once Final Four play began, the FEU Lady Tamaraws nearly gave the Lasallian community a scare, as they forced a win-or-go-home match that DLSU went on to win in three sets, 25-15, 27-25, 25-21.
La Salle drew first blood in the finals after sweeping ADMU, 25-22, 25-22, 25-21. The Lady Eagles would not go down without a fight, as they took Game 2 behind Valdez’s 34 points. The stage was set for a thrilling Game 3. It did not disappoint as both teams had a share of the game’s momentum until Season 78 Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) Kim Dy, Galang, Reyes, and Demecillo led a DLSU attack that clinched a 19-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-16 win and the title.
Changing of the guard
All eyes will be now focused on Dy, MaJoy Baron, and Dawn Macandili, holdovers tasked with leading this younger crop of Lady Spikers. Joining them will be members from Team B, most of whom have been training with the team and participating in other pocket tournaments. Tasked with aiding the team’s veterans this season are Michelle Cobb, Ezra Barroga, and Ariane Layug.
The buildup for Season 79 included a number of Lady Spikers playing for the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers in the Philippine Super Liga (PSL) All-Filipino Conference. They eventually defeated the Foton Tornadoes in the finals. Macandili was instrumental in that conference as she earned Finals MVP honors, a rare feat for a libero. They also participated in the PSL Grand Prix, finishing the conference in third-place despite struggling during the early parts of the season.
“So medyo hirap pa kasi very consistent yung mga starters ko last year compared to this year,” De Jesus explains when asked about his lineup this year.
Modified preparations
Despite being crowned as last season’s champions, the Lady Spikers continue to grind beyond their limitations. Their daily trainings have intensified and involve many crucial changes. Having lost a handful of seniors from last year’s roster, maturity and consistency have become De Jesus’ main concern. Major adjustments had to be made to obtain the ideal combination of players in the court, “so kailangan talaga ng maturity dun sa papalit na tao.”
Moreover, he explains the certainty of mistakes his players will commit and that the team will be more coherent and intact as time goes by. “Hindi kasi maiwasan ang mistakes sa loob [ng court] so matututo siguro dun sa mga mali nila and at the same time, habang tumatagal, napopolish nila yung galaw [nila].”
With a tough season ahead due to the loss of key players and with the progression of a young team, DLSU must find ways to outwork its opponents, most of whom retained their solid lineups and remain as contenders in the league. But regardless of the strong line of opponents La Salle has to face, De Jesus emphasizes NU as the team to beat in the coming season.
Bid for back-to-back
When asked about the key things that coach De Jesus emphasized in practice, Fajardo says, “Yung tumatak na sinasabi niya sa amin, yun nga yung defending champions kami last year and maraming nawala—sino yung lalaban?”
The senior expects the novices to put up a fight and prove their worth to the Lasallian community. “Paghumarap kami sa court, kailangan idefend yung title.”
As for De Jesus, his focus is set towards making it into the Final Four before anything else, “Kasi medyo mabigat talaga yung season na ‘to para sa amin eh.” He plans to take it one game at a time in terms of dealing with their conquest to hold the title.
The Lady Spikers will open their bid for back-to-back titles versus FEU on Sunday, February 5, at 4 pm at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
