The DLSU Green Spikers trounced the rebuilding UE Red Warriors with a commanding three-set spike fest, 26-24, 25-13, 25-23, capturing their second consecutive win in the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Volleyball Tournament earlier today, March 8, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Key transferee MJ Fortuna made a statement in the match by chalking up 13 points off 10 attacks and three blocks to be hailed Player of the Game. Meanwhile, a recovering Vince Maglinao was the unsung hero, feeding the scoreboard 11 points off nine attacks and two blocks. Behind it all, playmaker Eco Adajar orchestrated the team’s offense with 15 excellent sets and a one-two play, giving all scoring positions a chance to stuff the stat sheets.
On the side of Recto, Roy Piojo steered the Red Warriors’ losing yet valiant efforts with their lone double-digit performance of 10 points off 10 attacks. Behind him were Raquim Aceron and Axel Defeo, who unleashed nine and eight points, respectively.
Bombed out
With their usual starters geared up, the Green Spikers seemed poised to claim the first set. However, the Green-and-White unexpectedly struggled at the start due to costly errors. The first deadlock of the match came early, as Piojo opened the set with an aggressive play, but Fortuna answered back with an off-the-block, 1-all. La Salle knew they had to switch it up after being denied multiple times by the net. The Red Warriors held the lead for the majority of the set with the Green Spikers chasing their tail, 10-all. The Taft-based squad finally saw their first fragile margin after Nat Del Pilar rejected a fired-up Aceron, 11-10. However, that lead was quickly stolen when Aceron unleashed a retribution attack, sparking a 3-0 run for the Red Warriors, 13-10.
The match remained tight, but UE began to pull away. Defeo scored back-to-back points, setting the foundation for a 4-0 run that put them just three points away from claiming the set, 22-18. In an effort to halt their momentum, Del Pilar managed a rapid down-the-line shot, but it was not enough to stop UE from reaching set point, 24-20.
With the team’s backs against the wall, Noel Kampton rose to the occasion for the Green Spikers, reigniting their hopes with a surprising quick attack, 24-21. Fortuna then followed up with an attack that was registered with the help of the blockers’ hands, inching closer to extending the set, 24-22. After fueling this scoring run, Kampton continued to take center stage. He sealed the set with a commanding block over John Aligayon, perfectly capping off a 6-0 run to win 26-24.
Dominant wins the race
After a nail-biting comeback win in the opener, the Green Spikers strived for a more dominant showing in the second set with consistent defense and a strong offense. At the kickoff, La Salle immediately showed a promising start as a Kampton slice and Maglinao block, on top of UE’s straight errors, quickly gave them a three-point cushion, 5-2. Off the bench, Maglinao showcased his experience as he started the set with a corner-targeted crosscourt and a block-shattering hit, putting an end to a long rally boosted by good net defense from the DLSU side. Adajar, who also helped La Salle with a deceptive one-two dump, harnessed good ball distribution and launched an unexpected slide attack from middle blocker Joshua Rodriguez, widening the lead to five, 9-4.
The Red Warriors desperately attempted to rattle the Green Spikers’ net defense through quick attacks from Defeo and Xjhann Camaymayan. While they tried to keep DLSU at bay, they still trailed by three, 12-9. The Green-and-White refused to back down as alternating combination plays by Kampton and Maglinao, alongside the firm blocking duo of Fortuna and Eric Layug, sparked a 7-0 run. UE was prompted to call for a timeout twice as the Lasallians extended their lead to double digits, 19-9. Despite last-minute adjustments from the Recto-based squad through checks from Kart Lascuña and Piojo, Rodriguez rounded out the second set with a set-winning soft quick and block for La Salle, 25-13.
Back-to-back
Pumped up from a dominant second set, the Green Spikers were determined to finish the match in straight sets. However, the Red Warriors did not back down easily, contesting them once again in what would be the final set. The teams saw back-and-forth scoring right from the start, with Chris Hernandez delivering a quick hammer that was quickly answered by a tricky drop shot by Camaymayan, 1-all. The see-saw action continued until UE broke the ice with a 3-0 run, capped off by a service ace from Defeo, 8-6.
The Green Spikers managed to create some breathing room as a recovering Maglinao recorded consecutive points with a hammer down the line and a solid block, 13-10. The third set kept everyone on edge, remaining a tight contest until the final moments. In the game’s crucial stretch, Ventura made his presence felt with an attack and a service ace, putting the Green Spikers up by two, 20-18. As both teams raced toward the finish line, Rodriguez ensured that La Salle would cross it first, scoring two points from a block and a net attack, 24-23. After contributing to the team’s first point of the third set, Hernandez sealed the match with an attack that grazed the net, securing DLSU’s first back-to-back win of the season with most of their points coming in successive fashion in the final moments, 25-23.
As a relatively new addition to the Green-and-White, Player of the Game Fortuna slowly but surely integrated into the tried-and-tested La Salle system. “Thankful naman kasi noong previous games, medyo lie-low rin ang mga linalaro ko. Thankful ako kay Coach kasi binigyan niya ako ng chance na ipakita kung ano iyong potential ko in the game,” the Bulldog-turned-Archer transferee acknowledged, hoping that his remarkable performance will be the first of many more reliable showings in the coming games of the Green Spikers.
[I’m thankful because I had been lying low with my plays in previous games. I’m thankful to Coach because he gave me a chance to show my potential in the game.]
The grind does not stop for the DLSU Green Spikers as they set their sights on a third consecutive win in a classic rivalry match against the ADMU Blue Eagles on Wednesday, March 12, at 11 am at the same venue.
The Scores:
DLSU 3 – Fortuna 13, Maglinao 11, Kampton 8, Rodriguez 5, Hernandez 5, Mendoza 4, Ventura 3, Del Pilar 3, Magallanes 2, Adajar 1, Guerrero 0, Poquita 0, De Castro 0
UE 0 – Piojo 10, Aceron 9, Defeo 8, Aligayon 7, Camaymayan 4, Roca 2, Poquita 1, Lascuna 1, Pozas 0, Maglay 0, Villanueva 0, Bicar 0, Sison 0, Ledesma 0
Set Scores: 26-24, 25-13, 25-23
