The DLSU Green Spikers breezed past the UE Red Warriors in UAAP Season 86 Men’s Volleyball Tournament in a three-set win, 25-14, 25-20, 31-29, earlier today, March 6, at SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Vince Maglinao led the way for the Green Spikers with an all-around game with 16 points on 13 attacks, two blocks, and an ace. Supporting the Player of the Game was Noel Kampton who scored 13 points on 12 attacks while JM Ronquillo added 13 points, four points on blocks.
In the losing effort, Joshua Pozas, the lone Red Warrior, scored in double digits with 14 points, followed by John Mangahis who also chipped in with seven points.
Keeping distance
The Green Spikers wasted no time in asserting their dominance in all aspects of the court. Immediately, they capitalized on two consecutive attack errors from the Red Warriors followed by three straight points off Kampton’s early block, Nathaniel Del Pilar’s soft quick, and Eco Adajar’s service ace to prompt the Recto-squad to call for an early timeout, 5-0. The red jerseys were quick to recover as UE Captain Mangahis mastered through the fingers of the Green Spikers to finally put them on the scoreboard. The Warriors kept their hopes high after missets from Adajar that caused some errors by the Green-and-White to maintain close proximity, 10-6. However, the Taft-based squad refused to back down as Maglinao’s recoiled hit and two straight blocks by Adajar, alongside free points gifted by UE’s errors, allowed them a 7-1 run to keep a safe distance, 17-7.
However, the Green Spikers gave up some points of their own as net touches continue to serve as their achilles’ heel. A late-game surge that buffed the UE Red Warriors with a scoring spree consisting of diverse attacks to manifest a 4-0 run cut the lead to six, 20-14. But once again, the Green Spikers exemplified their grit as they retaliate with a 4-0 run of their own consisting of Kampton and Ronquillo’s twin crosscourt attacks, Ronquillo’s block, and Maglinao’s backrow bomb to bring the team to set point and eventually snatch the opening set courtesy of Pozas’ attack error, 25-14.
Kept the ball rolling
After a dominant first set by the Green Spikers, the Red Warriors upped their intensity as they kept in touch with the team from Taft. Pozas opened the set with a kill off a free ball from La Salle, 1-0, giving UE their first lead of the game. From then on, it was a back-and-forth affair as both teams exchanged points with one another. The defense of DLSU gave them a three point advantage over UE in the opening moments of the second set, 7-4. That didn’t faze the Recto based squad, as they climbed back with a Pozas kill in the middle, 11-9.
However, errors plagued the Green Spikers which kept the game close, as the Red Warriors converted their attacks. Kampton showed out and scored a powerful attack off the blockers of UE, 21-19. Playing with much more intensity and poise, the Green Spikers closed out the set with a quick attack from Anima in the middle, 25-20, which gave La Salle a commanding two-set advantage over UE.
Well-fought ending
The start of the final set found itself in a similar situation as that of the first set as Del Pilar’s instant block followed by two straight errors by UE’s Pozas swiftly pushed the Red Warriors to call for timeout, 3-0. In an apparent game of hot potato, both teams exchanged possessions coming from a mutual combination of offensive valor and off-the-mark services to keep it anyone’s game, 13-12. But the green shirts valiantly strived to widen the gap through Ronquillo’s crosscourt and Glen Ventura’s first kill block of the match, capped off by an illegal attack by UE’s Axel Defeo, 16-12.
However, the Red Warriors fearlessly stood their ground as they exemplified a lead-stealing 5-0 run off four straight attack bombs and a wide attempt by DLSU’s Jules De Jesus, 17-12, prompting the Green Spikers to call for timeout for the first time in the match. Once again, both teams exchanged leads with a plethora of offensive plays to exhibit a tensely good show until La Salle reached match point, 24-23. However, Red Warrior Brent Maralit refused to yield easily as he extended the set with an off-the-block response, 24-all. The homestretch of the match flooded with a long trade-off of attack and service errors from both teams until UE eventually succumbed to defeat with three costly consecutive errors, ultimately granting the Green Spikers to a sprightly sweep of the game, 31-29.
The Green Spikers are now riding on a three-game winning streak after thwarting the Red Warriors. Despite the straight set win Coach Jose Roque explained what happened during the extended third set struggles, “Based on the previous games ng UE, on the third set talagang they try to push themselves na para maipanalo yun and somehow medyo may kaunting control lang bola namin kaya hindi namin halos madelivery.”
(Based on the previous games of UE, in the third set they tried to push themselves to win and somehow we had small control of the ball and we couldn’t deliver it.)
Outside hitter Maglinao was asked on how the team will approach their next game against the winless UP Fighting Maroons, to which he said, “Syempre unang-una ‘yung respect namin sa kalaban namin kasi kapag dapat hindi mo minamaliit yun kalaban niyo, kasi nagte-training yan and bilog yun bola.”
(Of course we need to respect our opponents and you cannot belittle them, they train also and the ball is round.)
Coming off this explosive win, the DLSU Green Spikers will look to stretch their red-hot streak to four as they go up against the UP Fighting Maroons on Sunday, March 10, at 12 pm, at the same venue.
The Scores:
DLSU 3 – Maglinao 16, Kampton 13, Ronquillo 13, Anima 5, Adajar 4, Del Pilar 3, De Jesus 1, Ventura 1, Poquita III 0, De Castro 0, Guerrero 0
UE 0 – Pozas 14, Mangahis 7, Maralit 6, Aligayon 5, Reyes 5, Defeo 3, Bicar 1, Camaymayan 0, Herbosa 0, Roca 0, Quezon 0,
Set Scores: 25-14, 25-20, 31-29
