Brimming with determination under the scorching sun, the DLSU Green and Lady Spikers remained steadfast in their UAAP Season 88 Beach Volleyball campaign today, November 23, at the Sands SM by the Bay. Despite an electrifying atmosphere and strong support from fans, both teams suffered losses on the last day of the opening weekend, handing over their respective matches.
The Lady Spikers faced a grueling gauntlet in Day Two. Hoping to arrest their early skid, the Green-and-White instead suffered back-to-back setbacks, bowing to the grit of the UST Growling Tigresses, 21-11, 21-24, and the overpowering offense of the defending champions, the NU Lady Bulldogs, 21-9, 21-14.
DLSU’s power duo, Von Marata and Andre Espejo, lagged behind last season’s champions, the UST Growling Tigers. Despite leading throughout the second frame of their match, they succumbed to the king of the sands in straight sets, 21-13, 21-19.
Waiting for the tide
The spunky tandem of Buis and Sindayen opened the day for La Salle, briefly pulling the match to level terms with knuckle shots and service aces, but eventually struggled to match the tempo of the UST Growling Tigresses. Sindayen became the lifeline of DLSU in the opening frame with flashes of composure and experience, furnishing heavy spikes and tactical placements, to put the Green-and-White in front by one, 6-5.
Every spark the Lady Spikers lit was quickly smothered by UST’s steady pressure from Sofiah Pagara and Khy Progella, transforming this deficit into a six-point cushion for UST, La Salle trailing, 11-6. The Taft-based squad tried to turn the tables with Buis unleashing a powerful hit and Sindayen’s second ball putaway, but a string of untimely errors and UST’s offensive prowess pushed the set out of reach. Despite moments of hope, DLSU could not slow down the Tigresses’ late surge, dropping the opener, 21-11.
The second leg proved far tougher for the Lady Spikers, who only scored four points throughout the set, struggling to find breathing room against UST. The Thomasian tandem showered the green portion of the sand with service aces and sharp angles to bury La Salle in a 7-1 hole. Sindayen managed to stop the bleeding for DLSU with a knuckle shot that pierced through the line, 19-4. However, their miscues allowed UST to dictate every sequence, sealing the match with a decisive 21-4 second set.
Stifled by the champions
The Lady Spikers endured a rough opening frame, plagued by reception errors that handed the defending champions a quick 6-1 advantage. Although Mica Buis and Ela Raagas attempted to pierce through with scattered attacks, the Green-and-White found no answer for the Lady Bulldogs’ suffocating net defense. Unable to stabilize their floor coverage against the Sampaloc-based squad’s heavy offense, La Salle surrendered the first set, 21-9.
In the second leg, the Taft-based duo displayed renewed grit, capitalizing on opponent errors and utilizing steady defense to knot the count at 6-all. Buis and Raagas managed to keep pace early on, engaging in quick flurries to momentarily disrupt the Lady Bulldogs’ rhythm and breathe life into their campaign.
However, the deadlock proved short-lived as La Salle struggled to adjust to tactical short balls, surrendering a crucial run that left them trailing, 13-8. Despite calling for time to regroup, the Lady Spikers could not overcome their service reception woes late in the game. The defending champions punished every loose ball, forcing DLSU to yield the match, 21-14.
Momentum killed by fault
A crucial service error in the second set of their match ultimately tipped the scales for the Green Spikers, allowing UST to seize control and win in straight sets. Marata and Espejo struggled to find their early footing in the opening set as errors gave the España-based squad a comfortable cushion, 8-1. The Lasallian tandem managed to stimulate two four-to-nothing runs with angle shots and well-read counters, but this short momentum was met with immediate denial as Gupiteo punished every loose ball from shank passes, 17-11. With the Tigers keeping rallies short with their clean putaways, DLSU could not generate enough momentum to close the gap, dropping the first set, 21-13.
The second set showcased a stronger outing from La Salle, which finally grabbed control throughout the frame, giving UST a hard time recalibrating. Espejo hammered a spike followed by a kill block to clinch DLSU’s first lead of the match, 2-1. Marata also chipped in smart off-the-block plays, while Espejo continued to find seams in UST’s defense, to extend their advantage to three, 9-6.
With a barrage of smart placements and heavy serving, the Green Spikers stayed ahead at several key moments. Still, the Tigers remained within striking distance, forcing six deadlocks capped at 19-all. Ultimately, a foot fault error at the service line disrupted La Salle’s momentum in the critical closing stretch, which was ended by an attack that sailed out of bounds, handing UST the win, 21-19.
Determined to turn the page and bounce back after a barren opening weekend, the Taft-based squads aim to recalibrate and capture their breakthrough victories. The Green Spikers will bump heads with the UP Fighting Maroons at 7:45 am, while the Lady Spikers will square off with the AdU Lady Falcons at 5:45 pm on Friday, November 28, at the same venue.
