The DLSU Lady Spikers booked their fifth consecutive victory after defeating the UST Golden Tigresses in straight sets, 25-23, 25-22, 25-21. Desiree Cheng led the way for the Lasallians and was named player of the game with 13 points on nine attacks and three service aces. Despite leaving the match in the early stages of the third set, Kim Kianna Dy finished with 12 points off nine attacks and two blocks.
Sisi Rondina and EJ Laure once again led the team from España with 13 and 11 points, respectively. The prior notched 12 attacks and an ace while the latter recorded 10 attacks and a block.
The Green-and-White and Thomasians virtually canceled each other out on attacks, 37-34. However, DLSU gained a significant advantage on blocks, 5-1, and aces, 11-3.
Calm and composed efforts
Kim Fajardo led the way for La Salle early on in the match with a pair of aces although multiple errors from the Green-and-White proved to be costly as Rondina led UST to an 8-5 lead in the first technical timeout (TTO). With the Lasallians trailing by as many as four points in the opening set, they leveled the score at 19-all off back-to-back crosscourt kills by Tin Tiamzon. Although the Golden Tigresses managed to retake the lead, 22-21, they were unable to contain the team from Taft. The efforts of Dy, Ogunsanya, and Tiamzon paved the way for La Salle to take the first set, 25-23.
DLSU carried over its momentum into the second set, as it raced to another early lead behind by Tiamzon. On the other hand, Rondina and Lastimosa led the efforts of the Golden Tigresses, but were unable to trim the lead of La Salle, which ballooned to as many as six points. Rondina committed a costly service error to put the Lady Spikers at set-point, 24-19. EJ Laure went on a personal run, scoring three unanswered points although MaJoy Baron gave La Salle a two-set lead with a crosscourt kill off a set by Fajardo.
As the Green-and-White held a 6-4 lead in what would be the final set of the match, Dy took an awkward fall and was taken to the locker room. Although she returned to the bench, she did not check back into the game as the rest of the team held back the valiant effort of UST.
“Hindi naman sobra kami nagadjust [to losing Dy], parang napapractice namin. May rotations talaga na minsan pinapalitan sila, minsan hindi so feeling ko normal lang yun,” said Cheng on playing without Dy in majority of the final set
(We didn’t make major adjustments [after losing Dy] since we run through [situations] in practice. We have rotations where they get replaced and sometimes they are kept [on the court].)
A Tiamzon net touch trimmed the Golden Tigresses deficit to a point, 21-20. Baron immediately swung momentum back in favor of the Lasallians with a kill to extend their lead to two points. Her attack managed to spark a 4-1 scoring run to seal the third set for the Lady Spikers, 25-21, off a service error by Rondina.
The Lady Spikers will next square off with the AdU Lady Falcons on Saturday, April 1, at 2 pm in the Mall of Asia Arena.
The scores
DLSU 75 (3) – Cheng 13, Dy, 12, Tiamzon 11, Baron 7, Fajardo 6, Ogunsanya 4
UST 66 (0) – Rondina 13, Laure 11, Pacres 10, Lastimosa 2, Cabanos 1, Meneses 1
