The DLSU Lady Spikers proved their might over the listless UE Lady Warriors in straight sets, 25-22, 25-13, 25-23, moving one step closer to securing a Final Four berth in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament earlier today, April 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Player of the Game Amie Provido served vital contributions for the Green-and-White, tallying five attacks, two blocks, and two aces. Double-digit scorers Angel Canino and Shevana Laput also led the charge for the team, chalking up 16 and 14 points, respectively.
On the other side of the battlefield, the duo of Van Bangayan and KC Cepada led their troops, notching 13 and 11 points, respectively.
Winning the war
The maiden set was a tight battle between two hungry teams, one still chasing a Final Four spot and the other seeking their first win in the tournament. The Lady Spikers initially struggled to penetrate the defense of the Lady Warriors, whose first two points came from block points, 2-1. With the two teams already at deadlocks in the first few minutes of the game, Canino stepped up and unleashed a personal 3-0 run through smart plays near the net to finally pull away from the Red-and-White, 6-3. The determined Lady Warriors did not back down, challenging the currently second-seeded Taft squad. UE main gunner Cepada registered her own 3-0 run by exploiting the hands of DLSU’s blockers heading into the first technical timeout, 8-7. This marked a turning point for the Lady Warriors, putting them on an advantage until the next technical timeout of the set, 16-13.
The Green-and-White regained their senses after the second interval of the set, registering a 4-0 blitz with the offensive outputs of Lilay Del Castillo and Laput to get ahead, 17-16. Moreover, both teams showcased their desire to win as they reached multiple deadlocks. The Lady Spikers went on another scoring spree courtesy of a down-the-line shocker from Laput and an ace from Mikole Reyes, bringing them closer to their first set win, 22-20. Canino brought La Salle to match point with a check ball, before an attack error from Bangayan sealed the set, 25-22.
Stringers surging
After a close first set, the Lady Spikers were at an early disadvantage, trailing behind by two points, 3-1. Determined to pull away, La Salle went on a 6-0 rampage led by Provido’s service ace, while Canino and Laput punished UE’s defense by attacking from various sides of the court, 6-3. The Lady Spikers signature blocking was present early on in the match as they put a stop to Bangayan’s down-the-line attack, 8-5.
After aiding Lyka De Leon in stabilizing the floor defense, Jillian Santos chipped in a crosscourt dagger to widen DLSU’s lead, 12-6. Not backing down for UE was Riza Nogales, who ended the long rally with a block point, 15-9. As the Lady Spikers were on a 4-0 high, Beatrice Zamudio proved to be a bright spot for the Lady Warriors as she drilled an attack in an empty spot in front of Alleiah Malaluan, 21-11. Filling in for Jyne Soreño’s absence was Shane Reterta, who scored from the opposite side to nearly double the Lady Spikers’ lead, 22-12. The second set ended swiftly as Jessa Ordiales scored from the middle, 25-13.
Last stand
Poised to claim another win after a dominant second outing, the Lady Spikers opened the third set with a scoring run built from resounding attacks from Laput and Canino, 4-0. The cards looked good for DLSU, who entered the technical timeout with a wide margin after Team Captain Canino unleashed back-to-back points from a check ball and a service ace, 8-4. However, the Lady Warriors refused to wave the white flag and loaded up their offense in an attempt to capture the Lady Spikers. UE’s main gunner Bangayan marked consecutive points, with a remarkable down-the-line attack and an off-the-block to even the footing between them and La Salle, 14-all.
With the Red-and-White slowly catching up, Ella Raagas was brought in to change the pace of the match. The decision went well for the Lady Spikers. Canino soon received assistance from the subbed-in setter to mark a crosscourt dagger, 16-15. The final moments of the set were tense, seeing both teams race to the finish line first. DLSU remained composed and held their grip on the set, answering back to each call UE made in hopes of extending the match. Laput led the Lady Spikers in these crucial moments, sneaking in an off-the-block to bring them up by two, 21-19. Nevertheless, UE kept their focus, doing their best to even the footing. An explosive attack from Bangayan and an attack error from DLSU tied the third set at 21-all. Canino once again achieved match point for La Salle with a resounding attack that flew out after reception. Hungry for victory, Laput ended the long set and even more excruciating match by finding the line, 25-23.
After her breakout game in the season, Santos expressed her gratitude for the trust given to her to start in the second set, “I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be able to compete alongside my teammates on the court today. I think this is a good starting point for me, getting into my groove and adapting better to Coach Ramil’s system, and it’s always great to play alongside my teammates.”
When asked about their mindset moving forward, Team Captain Canino echoed how the job is not yet done as they are inches away from the Final Four, “Kahit na nanalo kami, marami pa kaming kailangan iimprove sa sarili namin at improve as a team. Gaya nga ng sabi ni coach, one game at a time so kailangan lang namin magfocus per game at magprepare ng todo para sa opponent namin.”
(Even with this win, we know that there is still a lot we can improve on individually and as a team. Just like what coach mentioned, we are taking it one game at a time focusing on the games at hand and preparing for our opponents.)
As the Lady Spikers notch their third consecutive victory, they now set their sights on moving closer to a Final Four slot as they take on the UP Fighting Maroons on Sunday, April 13, at 3 pm at the same venue.
The Scores
DLSU 3 – Canino 16, Laput 14, Provido 9, Santos 6, Del Castillo 3, Reyes 3, Ordiales 2, Reterta 2, Malaluan 1, De Leon 0, Raagas 0, Tolentino 0, Rodriguez 0
UE 0 – Bangayan 13, Cepada 11, Nogales 6, Balingit 5, Zamudio 2, Famulagan 1, Ecalla 1, Reyes 0
Set Scores: 25-22, 25-13, 25-23
