The DLSU Green Spikers fell to the UP Fighting Maroons in a straight-match, 25-21, 25-23, 25-17, earlier today at the FilOil Flying V Centre. The loss gave them 2-6 win-loss standing in the UAAP Season 79 Men’s Volleyball Tournament.
The Fighting Maroons were spearheaded by Mark Millete who scored 18 points on 14 attacks and four blocks. He was closely followed by Alfred Valbuena, who scored 16 points on 14 attacks and two aces.
Meanwhile, Arjay Onia was La Salle’s topscorer with 13 points on 12 attacks and a block. Geraint Bacon and Levin Dimayuga chipped in 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Unlike previous matches, Bacon started for La Salle in place of Cris Dumago. Coach Nes Pamilar explained, “Si Bacon kasi is injured kaya hindi namin masyadong magamit [nung first round]. So ngayon, hundred percent siya, saka namin siya ginagamit.” (Bacon was injured in the first round, so we couldn’t use him. Now that he’s a hundred percent, we can.)
The first set started with the two teams engaged in a back-and-forth rally for points with neither of them letting the other get a significant advantage. At 17-all, however, UP made a 4-1 run from the efforts of Valbuena, Jerry San Pedro, and Millete to give them a four-point lead, 21-17. The Fighting Maroons kept their advantage to the end of the set, wherein UP’s Valbuena scored consecutive points to take it at 25-21.
The second set saw the Fighting Maroons take an early lead with a 3-1 run from an attack and two blocks after Green Spiker Joshua Jose scored. However, La Salle slowly trimmed the lead and, at 7-all, made an 8-2 run to take the lead, 15-9. The set proceeded with UP trailing behind DLSU as they continued to trade points. At 21-14, however, the Fighting Maroons got in seven consecutive points to put the scores at 21-all and reach a breakpoint, which they followed up with two more points to gain a two-point lead, 23-21. After that, La Salle was unable to make a comeback as Millete sealed the set with an uncontested spike down the line at 25-23, in favor of UP.
Similar to the first set, a close match ensued in the third set as various plays were made by both teams. Midway through the set, UP scored eight successive points, six of which were from their attacks, to give them an eight-point advantage at 20-12. DLSU tried to catch up, but UP prevented them from scoring consecutively.
A block from the Fighting Maroons ended the third set and match at 25-17, in favor of UP.
The number of points won from attacks by two teams were close with UP scoring from 45 attacks against La Salle’s 44. However, the Fighting Maroons outperformed DLSU in blocks and service aces after bringing in 11 blocks and four aces over the Green Spikers’ five blocks and lone ace. Furthermore, La Salle had four more errors than UP after incurring 15 errors against UP’s 11 errors.
“Wala sila sa focus,” said Pamilar as he recounted the late rally in the second set made by UP, who scored consecutively from single blocks and an untimely rotational error. He also added that the team has not been able to bring in the usual performance they show during training sessions to their matches.
The Green Spikers will next face the FEU Tamaraws on March 12, Sunday, at 8 am in the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The scores
DLSU 61- Onia 13, Bacon 12, Dimayuga 11, Del Pilar 5, Joshua 5, G. Asia 4
UP 75- Millete 18, Valbuena 16, San Pedro 8, Miguel 8, Castillo 4, San Pascual 4, Baldelovar 2
