The DLSU Green Spikers won their first major championship since their UAAP Season 66 title after beating the UST Growling Tigers, 25-22, 27-29, 29-27, 25-18, in Game Two of their V-League ender best-of-three series earlier tonight, September 29, at the Paco Arena.
Two of La Salle’s individual awardees in the tournament led the charge by surpassing the 20-point mark in the title-winning game: Best Open Spiker Noel Kampton tallying 22 points to go along with Best Opposite Spiker JM Ronquillo’s 21. Also chipping in 19 points in the well-rounded scoring effort was Vince Maglinao. Two other Green Spikers won individual honors in the awarding ceremony prior to the match, with playmaker Poqs Poquita and sweeper Menard Guerrero picking up the Best Setter and Best Libero awards, respectively.
Leading all scorers in the match was UST star and tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP) Josh Ybañez with 27 points. Also scoring in double figures was his teammate Rey De Vega who tallied 14 in their valiant effort.
Grit in the face of adversity
The Green Spikers got off to a strong start by arduously taking the first set, much in part to four straight kills by Maglinao to fend off the Growling Tigers before Ronquillo landed a kill block on Ybañez, 25-22. The game went scrappy from then on, with both teams committing several errors in the second frame before consecutive blunders by the Green and White saw their comeback end in vain, 29-27, tying up the match one set apiece.
The squad from Taft managed to regain their footing in the third set, but Ybañez and De Vega put UST ahead in the nip. After the set was brought to deuce, it was team captain Ronquillo who stepped up, scoring back-to-back points to take the lead, 28-27. Continuing to step up in a timely fashion, Maglinao drilled a straight hit to put La Salle one set away from the championship, 29-27.
Striking gold
Knocking on the door of history, finals MVP Kampton delivered for DLSU, carrying the offensive load and stepping up on defense with numerous clutch receptions in the eventual final set. UST’s relentless performance throughout the first three sets ultimately faltered, though, as they were unable to mount a comeback. Middle blocker Nat del Pilar put the final nail in the coffin to take the championship-winning set, 25-18.
During the tense second and third set, DLSU head coach Jose Roque expressed that he didn’t do much, reminding his side to stick to their gameplan, “Keep them calm, control the pace…nandun ‘yung pressure pero we managed to control yung [emotions] and focus back on the game.” He also pointed out to his team that their opposition was just as tense, which showed in the side from España’s meltdown in the fourth set.
After his impressive performance in the competition that garnered him the Best Outside Spiker and Finals MVP accolades, Noel Kampton shared that what he values the most was their win as a team: “Ang pinaka-important sakin is ‘yung championship. ‘Yung individual award, bonus na yun eh.”
Roque ended the league with much gratitude towards his tenured staff and, most of all, his players who gave their all in each and every game, “Thankful ako, meron akong team na talented. Meron akong team na hindi ka iiwan.”
Following this victory, the DLSU Green Spikers will continue to rebuild their name as a powerhouse in the collegiate men’s volleyball scene.
The Scores:
DLSU 3 – Kampton 22, Ronquillo 21, Maglinao 19, Del Pilar 5, Layug 5
UST 0 – Ybañez 27, De Vega 14, Flor 9, Edlyn Paul Coolinares 9, Salvador 4, Yambao 2, Valera 2
Set Scores: 25-22, 27-29, 29-27, 25-18
