The UAAP Season 81 Beach Volleyball started its weekend of matches last September 24, 25, and 28 at the MOA Sands by the Bay. The DLSU Green and Lady Spikers were at the opposite ends of the spectrum at the end of the third day of the competition.
After finishing fourth last year, Tin Tiamzon, Michelle Morente, and May Luna donned the Green-and-White for Season 81 to try to get the crown back to Taft. Meanwhile, Geraint Bacon, Raphael Sumalinog, and Paul Serrano will try to improve their 2-5 win-loss record from Season 80.
Difficulties for the Green Spikers
The first game in season for the Lasallians was the men’s team who went up against the UE Red Warriors. The team struggled early on as they failed to surpass the Red Warriors in two sets and lost their first game, 21-19, 21-16. In their next match, the men’s team were up against the UST Tiger Spikers and experienced another difficult defeat. The Green Spikers did not have the chance to fight back as UST clobbered the Lasallians in easy straight sets, 21-8, 21-11.
The second day was no different either for DLSU as their only game for the day was also a loss. The Green Spikers were going back and forth in the first set with the Fighting Maroons, but UP ended up winning the set at 23-21. For the second set, the Lasallians were able to clinch its first set win at 21-19, but unfortunately, despite the momentum they had going on, UP won the match with only a two-point lead at the third set, 15-12.
On their last two games of the week, the Green Spikers lost to the NU Bulldogs, 21-15, 21-17, and the ADMU Blue Eagles, 21-11, 21-19. With these losses, DLSU toppled down to the bottom of the standing with a 0-5 win-loss record.
Eyes on the prize for the Lady Spikers
The Lady Spikers had contrasting results from their men counterparts, as they garnered their first win as they went up against the FEU Lady Tamaraws for their first match of the season. The game saw the debut of the Tiamzon and Morente duo in the UAAP, and the two did not disappoint as they overpowered the Lady Tamaraws and won their first set at 21-14. However, FEU did not give DLSU an easy win as the Lady Tamaraws clinched the second set to play for a third, 20-22. Nonetheless, the Lady Spikers composed themselves to close the game at 15-10.
The Lasallians experienced both victory and defeat on the second day of the tournament. Tiamzon and Morente completely dominated their match up against the AdU Lady Falcons, 21-10, 21-5. However, their last game of the day was against the defending champions for the last two seasons, the UST Golden Tigresses. The Green-and-White were no match to Sisi Rondina and Blove Barbon as the two easily defeated the Lasallians in two straight sets with the same scoreline, 21-14, 21-14.
The Lady Spikers hoped to improve their 2-1 win-loss record as they faced their archrivals, the ADMU Lady Eagles on the third day of the tournament. DLSU easily dominated the first set as they overpowered ADMU at 21-14. However, the Lady Eagles did not easily give up and persevered as they fought until the very end of the second set. “Medyo naging shaky lang kami ni Tin towards the end of the set. Pero ayun, kumapit lang kami and it worked well naman,” Morente commented on the difficulty of finishing their last game of the week. The Lady Spikers currently sit at the third of the standings with a 3-1 win-loss record.
The Green Spikers will hope to improve their 0-5 win-loss record as they go up against the FEU Tamaraws on Tuesday, October 2 at 12 pm. Meanwhile, the Lady Spikers will be facing the UE Lady Warriors and the NU Lady Bulldogs on the same day at 10 am and 3 pm, respectively, at the MOA Sands by the Bay.
