In a close encounter from start to finish, the Green Spikers emerged victorious over the third-seeded FEU Tamaraws in a heated five-setter match 25-22, 25-27, 25-20, 25-21, 15-12, earlier tonight, March 29, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Open hitter Noel Kampton spearheaded La Salle’s victory with 23 points built on 19 attacks, two blocks, and two aces. Complementing his impressive performance was opposite spiker JM Ronquillo who finished with 22 points from 20 attacks and two blocks, earning himself the Player of the Game recognition.
FEU’s main gunner Mark Calado put up a massive 28-point game to carry his tenacious team against the Green Spikers. Zhydryx Saavedra also marked big time points with 23. Libero Bryce De Guzman recorded a double-double with 11 excellent digs and 34 excellent receives.
Nip-and-tuck affair
Both teams kicked off the opening set by activating their offensive guns with Kampton for La Salle and Saavedra for FEU, resulting in an early tie at two-all. From here, the Green Spikers unleashed a 3-0 blaze built on a Ronquillo attack, Kampton ace, and Nathaniel Del Pilar block, 5-2. The momentum did not last on the side of La Salle as FEU went on a 5-2 run of their own to tie the game at 7-all. Maglinao stopped the run of the Tamaraws after a cross-court kill that took his squad to the first technical timeout, 8-7.
The Green Spikers then continued to score three consecutive points, which were only halted after an unforced error, 11-8. FEU maximized this opportunity to come back and countered with a 3-0 run of their own to erase the lead and bring the score to 11-all. With both teams heavy on offense, La Salle banked on their net defense to establish a three-point advantage coming into the second technical timeout, 16-13.
While Calado and Martin Bugaoan were able to convert their attacks for the Tamaraws, Green Spiker Billie Anima proved to be a force to be reckoned with after two quick attacks and a slide at the net, 20-16. However, two straight errors and an attack from Calado cut the lead down to one, 20-19, forcing La Salle to call for time. The Green Spikers wasted no time after the break as Kampton and Ronquillo combined to take the Green and White to set point, 24-21. Saavedra was able to save one set point, but Anima closed out the set with an emphatic block, 25-22.
Slowly crushed
Despite finding their groove early in the game, the second set told a different story for the Green Spikers. The Tamaraws established an early lead against the Taft-based squad through the collective efforts of Bugaoan, Jose Javelona, and Calado, 8-3. FEU’s setter Ariel Cacao also tallied a score in the offensive end as he found a donut hole in DLSU’s defense, 10-4. Anima ignited the spirit of La Salle after he went one-on-one at the net with a quick attack against FEU, 12-6.
With a comfortable lead already in the hands of the Tamaraws, the men in green shocked their opponents with an offensive 8-1 run powered by Kampton and Maglinao who added three and two points, respectively, as DLSU took the lead, 15-14. The green shirts held the lead toward the end of the set; Ronquillo flew in with a back-row attack and Kampton maximized a broken play from FEU with a surprise attack in the middle, 23-22. However, the gold shirts were eager to extend the game. FEU’s Calado closed the set in his side’s favor with an off-the-block hit and an unopposed crosscourt attack, 27-25.
Falling behind
The Green Spikers struggled to find their rhythm in the third frame as the Tamaraws established an early three-point lead, 5-2. Even with Ronquillo and Kampton delivering their points, the tandem of Calado and Saavedra worked in favor for the Tamaraws until the 10-7 mark when two FEU errors, on top of a Del Pilar quick attack, led to a total erasure of the lead at 10-all.
Both teams went on a spiking showdown to trade markers until the 13-all mark when the Tamaraws picked up their pace to retake the lead and hold a three-point cushion again, 19-16, prompting La Salle to call for time. After the break, the Tamaraws committed a service error, but the Green Spikers were not able to maximize the opportunity to start a scoring run and catch up. FEU relied on their collective effort led by Bugaoan, who delivered three attacks in the middle to close out the set at 25-20.
Keeping composure
Coming back stronger in the fourth set, the Green Spikers maximized the overwhelming 12 errors from the side of FEU to stay alive in the game. Ronquillo rose above the occasion as he led the green shirts to an early lead that was also stacked with FEU’s service and attack errors, 8-5. The heroic Calado of FEU stayed on fire despite being deep into the game, capitalizing a combination play, 11-7.
In an attempt to chase the ball off from a Cacao service, Kampton crashed the LED board hard, managing to shake up both teams inside the court. As the force from Morayta started to fuel in, Calado tallied another score from the back row to tie the game, 13-all. Pushing their chances, La Salle’s reliable man Ronquillo notched back-to-back cross-court hits to widen DLSU’s gap, 24-20. Ronquillo eventually ended the set with a down-the-line hit to keep their chances up, 25-21.
Compelling closing
As errors continued to plague the Tamaraws, the Green Spikers were immediately gifted two points from attack errors on the side of FEU to begin the final set, 2-0. Cacao stopped the brewing run on the side of La Salle with a no-look drop ball, but Kampton answered back with an off-the-block hit, 3-1. Herald Domingo attempted to rally the Tamaraws with a quick attack, but the Green Spikers unloaded a 3-0 scoring blitz to extend the lead to four, 6-2. FEU tried to come back in the game but the offensive arsenal of La Salle did not allow for any shift of momentum, as both teams exchanged points one after another until the 12-8 mark.
The Tamaraws put the Green Spikers on edge as they went on a 3-1 run, courtesy of a La Salle error and an attack from Saavedra and Bugaoan apiece, 13-11. However, Anima came through for DLSU after launching a quick attack that took them to match point, 14-11. Despite a service error from La Salle, Kampton was able to redeem the point back after a powerful off-the-block hit that ended the set and the match, 15-12.
DLSU Green Spikers Head Coach Arnold Laniog noted that this victory was important, as their win-loss record now stands at 5-4, “Yung panalo today, mas magboost ng morale and mas magpupush sa amin to work hard.”
(The win today will boost our morale and will push us more to work hard.)
After this win, the DLSU Green Spikers will look to start a new win streak as they go against the UST Growling Tigers at 4 pm on Sunday, April 2, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Laniog and his team will not take their next matchup lightly, “In terms of blocking magaling sila, [and] they are [the] number one serving team. Kailangan namin maghanda.”
(They are good in terms of blocking, and they are the number one serving team. We need to prepare.)
The Scores:
DLSU 3 – Kampton 23, Ronquillo 22, Maglinao 12, Anima 10, Del Pilar 7, Marata 1, Poquita 0, De Jesus 0
FEU – Calado 28, Saavedra 23, Bugaoan 11, Domingo 5, Cacao 4, Talisayan 4, Javelona 4, Sabanal 1
Set Scores: 25-22, 25-27, 25-20, 25-21, 15-12
