The DLSU Lady Spikers bucked a slow start to sweep the AdU Lady Falcons, 25-13, 25-14, 25-16, earlier today in the UAAP Season 79 Women’s Volleyball Tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena. With the win, DLSU moves up to first place in the team standings at 11-2.
Libero Dawn Macandili was named the Player of the Game after she finished the game with 18 excellent digs and 12 excellent receptions.
“Hard worker si Dawn kahit sa training, all out siya,” DLSU assistant coach Noel Orcullo said after the game.
DLSU missed the services of Kim Dy, who injured her ankle in the game against UST. She was replaced in the starting six by Arianne Layug, who finished the game with three points.
The Lady Falcons were the more active team during the early moments of the opening set as their proper reception allowed them to counter La Salle’s offense. AdU went on an early 5-1 run, but Aduke Ogunsanya and Desiree Cheng responded and helped DLSU tie the game at 6-all. A couple of Lady Falcon errors and an Ogunsanya block gave La Salle an 8-7 lead heading into the first TTO of the first set.
Both teams traded points until Majoy Baron and Tin Tiamzon orchestrated a 13-3 run to give the Lady Spikers a 21-11 lead over the Lady Falcons after an 8-all deadlock. La Salle would maintain its lead with Layug, ending the set at 25-13 with a spike.
La Salle struggled to find their offensive rhythm in the start of the second set but their blocking allowed them to stay at pace with AdU. Falling behind, 6-5, the Lady Spikers relied on a 10-3 run to take a 16-8 lead heading into the second TTO of the second set. Cheng and Kim Fajardo provided the offense in this rally, as AdU could not completely block the former’s attacks and the latter’ trick shots.
During the latter part of the set, DLSU head coach Ramil De Jesus inserted May Luna and Norielle Ipac in the game, and the former quickly made her presence felt as she ended the second set, 25-14.
AdU quickly raced to a 2-0 lead in the third set but their errors allowed La Salle to score six unanswered points. From there, the Lady Spikers would go on a 16-6 run, with De Jesus opting to empty his bench and give his shock troopers opportunities on the court. Justine Tiu brought DLSU to within match point, 24-13, but AdU made a mini run to pull within eight points, 24-16. However the Lady Falcons’ run was cut short after their 28th error gave La Salle match point.
The Lady Spikers dominated the Lady Falcons across the board led by Baron’s game-high 13 points. DLSU finished the game with 33 spikes, eight blocks and six service aces, while AdU had 21 spikes, three blocks, and no service aces.
The Lady Spikers will close the elimination round against archrivals, the ADMU Lady Eagles, next Saturday, April 8, at 4 pm in the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
“Big game sa Saturday, kailangan bumawi,” Orcullo mentioned when asked about the game.
The Scores:
DLSU – Baron 13, Cheng 8, Tiamzon 7, Fajardo 6, Layug 3, Luna 3, Ogunsanya 3, Ipac 1, Tiu 1
AdU – Galanza 12, Flora 5, Dacoron 3, Dahab 2, Joaquin 2
