The DLSU Lady Spikers bounced back from their loss to the ADMU Lady Eagles after defeating the FEU Lady Tamaraws in straight sets, 25-5, 25-23, 25-23. La Salle now holds a 6-2 win-loss record and sits in second place, behind ADMU in the standings
Aduke Ogunsanya finished with 11 points on five service aces and two blocks. Des Cheng also scored 11 points of her own, all of which came from attacks. In another outstanding performance, veteran setter Kim Fajardo had 44 excellent sets while libero Dawn Macandili once again provided quality floor defense with 26 excellent digs and nine excellent receptions.
In their losing effort, Mary Palma notched nine points on two blocks and an ace. Bernadeth Pons finished just behind with eight points off seven spikes.
Strong start
The Green-and-White made quick work of its opponents in the opening set of the game. The Lasallians took an 8-2 lead heading into the first technical timeout (TTO). Immediately after, sophomore Tin Tiamzon completed a service ace as DLSU carried on its momentum. Chin-Chin Basas managed to earn another point for FEU and put the score at 11-3, but it was too late for the team from Recto.
La Salle managed to go on a 5-0 run behind two aces from Kim Kianna Dy to take a 16-3 lead in the second TTO. There was no looking back for the Lady Spikers as they easily went on to seal the first set, 25-5, capped off by a spike from Cheng.
Shaky finish
The Lady Tamaraws looked to turn the situation around in the succeeding set as they raced to an early 3-1 lead. Tiamzon and Dy leveled score afterwards as both teams went head-to-head with FEU finding its rhythm. Eventually, Ogunsanya would score three unanswered points of her own, two of which were aces to propel La Salle back into the lead. Following Ogunsanya’s efforts, Cheng scored off another kill to give La Salle a 10-6 lead. The Lady Spikers nursed their cushion and managed to hold off an eventual FEU comeback. The prior eventually sealed the second set, 25-23, courtesy of a service error from Palma.
The third set started off in similar fashion to the previous set. La Salle continued to find its rhythm offensively although the Lady Tamaraws stayed close behind the efforts of Basas. With the scoreline tied at 5-all, Fajardo would spark a 7-0 DLSU run on a dump as the team from Taft took a comfortable 12-5 lead.
FEU refused to wilt and eventually tied the game at 16-all with an ace. The Green-and-White once again looked poised to easily take the set. Although, costly errors from Cheng, Fajardo, and Tiamzon plus an attack from Heather Guino-o placed the Lady Tamaraws within striking distance at 24-23.
“Same lang [yung mga problema ng team], katulad lang sa last game [versus ADMU]. Nakapaglamang kami, nagrerelax talaga. Dati naman ganun din yung problema (We had the same problems this game just like the last time we played ADMU. We take the lead and tend to relax),” Fajardo explained afterwards on the team’s struggles.
In due course, Tiamzon would clinch the third set, 25-23, and win number six for La Salle with a spike.
Despite committing 28 errors, 10 more than FEU, the Lady Spikers managed to record 10 aces as compared to three from the Lady Tamaraws. Although the team from Recto earned more points off blocks, 6-3, they were simply overwhelmed in the attacking category, 34-24.
The Lady Spikers will resume action versus the NU Lady Bulldogs on March 12, Sunday, at 4 pm in the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
