Weathering a fierce storm on the taraflex, the DLSU Lady Spikers dug deep to outlast the AdU Lady Falcons in a grueling five-set marathon, 19-25, 25-20, 25-21, 13-25, 15-5, for their sixth consecutive victory in the UAAP Season 88 Women’s Volleyball Tournament, held earlier today, March 11, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Hailed as the Player of the Game, Angel Canino unleashed a lethal offensive showcase for the Green-and-White, tallying 19 points, built on 18 attacks and a block. Standing tall alongside her was Team Captain Shevana Laput, who erupted for a career-high 26 points off 19 attacks, six blocks, and a service ace. Meanwhile, Lilay Del Castillo proved to be an impenetrable wall at the net, fortifying the Taft-based squad with four rejections to cap an eight-point outing.
Refusing to go down without a fight, Frances Mordi spearheaded the squad from San Marcelino with 22 points off 19 attacks and three blocks. Season 87 Rookie of the Year Shaina Nitura also provided a relentless spark of her own, firing off 21 points to keep the Lady Falcons threatening until the final point.
Out of rhythm
Both squads entered the match in red-hot form, with the Taft-based squad carrying a perfect record and the Lady Falcons coming off a statement victory over UST. The San Marcelino-based squad were the first to strike with Nitura setting the tone for a quick 2-0 advantage. The white shirts would immediately catch their rhythm as the squads locked into a back-and-forth affair in the early stages of the set, 8-6.
Despite their strong service game in their past matches, the Green-and-White fell victim to multiple service errors that changed the tide of the match. Adding to their struggles, Mordi would take advantage with a variety of attacks as AdU held their lead, 16-11. Mishaps from the white shirts continued to pile up as Adamson’s advantage ballooned to eight, 20-12. Despite this, La Salle would momentarily find their stride to ignite a 3-0 run, capped off by a save from a broken play by De Leon.
DLSU would find another lifeline as AdU reached set point, with Canino rallying the Lady Spikers to momentarily delay the set’s finish with an off-the-block attack and attack error from the blue shirts. However, fellow Alas Pilipinas standout Nitura stamped her mark with a lethal spike to give Adamson the first set, 25-19.
Reganing the rhythm
Eager to recover from an error-riddled opening frame, the Lady Spikers immediately engaged the Lady Falcons in a tight exchange. Meanwhile, AdU initially capitalized on service aces from Divinagracia and Aseo to take a 6-3 advantage. However, the Taft-based squad quickly erased the deficit with a crucial 4-0 run, highlighted by a Provido service ace to tie the game at 7-all. The Green-and-White then snatched the momentum, leaning on Laput’s defensive presence and consecutive conversions to establish an 11-9 lead. Canino anchored the offense with her signature crosscourt hits, extending the Lasallians’ advantage to 14-10. Refusing to fold, Nitura willed the squad from San Marcelino back with a personal 3-0 run to deadlock the score at 14-all. Nevertheless, Laput pierced through the defense and followed up with a service ace, giving La Salle a narrow 16-15 edge heading into the technical timeout.
Coming out of the break, both squads traded service errors before Mordi briefly sparked the AdU offense. Del Castillo responded with a pivotal rejection to push the Lady Spikers to the 20-point mark, securing a 20-19 lead. With the Lady Falcons calling for time, DLSU maintained their composure. A well-timed connection between Nunag and Del Castillo secured a 22-20 cushion. Del Castillo continued her defensive masterclass with a crucial save and block, setting the stage for Canino. The team captain then unleashed consecutive thunderous attacks from the middle to seal the set for the Green-and-White, 25-20.
Tilting the balance
After brushing off early jitters, the Lasallians were eager to pull away from their young, yet surging, opponents. However, the set would begin in the same way it has in the preceding sets—AdU claiming a quick lead only for La Salle to bridge the gap and trade points. The Taft-based squad showcased their signature blocking but they would be marred by errors that hindered them throughout the match as Adamson entered the first technical break with a one-point cushion, 8-7.
Following tightly-contested stretches that saw both sides battle for the lead, momentum shifted toward the San Marcelino-based squad with Nitura’s service ace sparking a 4-0 run and capped off by an attack from Mordi to urge La Salle to call for a timeout at 13-10. Coming off the break, Laput put an end to their woes with consecutive attacks to put them within arms-length. An antenna touch evened the set at 15-all and the ladies in white wasted no time to take control and pull away.
Canino would launch a running attack into zone 1 to ignite a 3-0 run, which was then followed by the Taft Towers imposing their presence to deny the Adamsonians. Despite their momentum, they would immediately falter from consecutive errors and a service ace from Nitura, 20-all. However, they found their footing in time with Provido triggering a 5-1 rampage, capped by an error from the Lady Falcons to take the lead in the match, 25-21.
Forced to a decider
Looking to clinch the match, the Lady Spikers instead found themselves on the back foot early in the fourth set. Mordi spearheaded AdU’s opening assault, finding holes in the Lasallian floor defense. Despite Laput’s crosscourt attack, Tuddao fired a service ace to push the Lady Falcons ahead, 6-3. DLSU’s unforced errors compounded their struggles, allowing the squad from San Marcelino to comfortably reach the first technical timeout with an 8-3 advantage. La Salle attempted to regroup as Laput secured a crucial block to ignite a quick 3-0 run, trimming the deficit to 8-6.
However, the Lady Falcons immediately answered through Nitura and a suffocating net defense that stifled the Taft-based squad. Trailing 12-7, La Salle called a timeout to recalibrate, but Mordi continued to overpower the blockers to extend the AdU lead to 14-7. An AdU service ace then sent both teams to the second technical timeout, leaving DLSU staring at a daunting 16-7 hole. Refusing to surrender easily, Canino and Reterta executed powerful hits to inject life into the Lasallians, 17-10. In response, AdU orchestrated a devastating run to establish a commanding 20-10 cushion. With their backs against the wall, Laput willed La Salle forward by saving back-to-back set points, 24-13. Ultimately, the deficit proved insurmountable as Tuddao delivered the final blow for the Lady Falcons, taking the set 25-13 and forcing a deciding fifth frame.
Arrows away
After a brutal display in the previous set, the team from Taft rallied behind their veterans to reignite their spirit and continue setting the league’s standard. Captains Laput and Canino kickstarted La Salle’s push with strong spikes that the blue shirts were unable to dig, 4-2. Nitura and Mordi’s tandem momentarily kept AdU afloat but La Salle’s experienced roster proved to be too much.
Mordi’s backrow attack would be the last time the San Marcelino-based squad put up points as Reterta’s smash toward zone 6 signalled their end, 8-5. Displaying their championship grit and experience, the Taft mainstays unleashed an 8-0 burst with blockers Del Castillo and Provido chipping in to neutralize their foes. In the match’s closing moments, Reterta was the catalyst, delivering a strong spike and the finishing blow to ice the set and keep La Salle unblemished in the standings.
Dealt with their biggest challenge so far, the Lady Spikers turned the experience into an opportunity to strengthen their character and stay grounded. Their initial struggles were attributed to their elation from the dream start, causing a temporary dip in intensity and coordination. “Tight talaga kami, hindi kami gumalaw as one… Noong fifth set, pinusuan talaga namin,” Canino shared as she expounded on the team’s poise, while highlighting their fortitude when their backs were against the wall.
(We were tight, we didn’t execute as one…. In the fifth set, we really gave it our all.)
Shifting their attention to their Round 1 finale against defending champions NU Lady Bulldogs on Sunday, March 15, Canino stated that their fifth-set clash was a crucial confidence-builder, especially for the rookies. “Hindi ko siya tinitignan as a disadvantage, kundi magandang lesson sa mga bata [at] para samin,” the player of the game shared, further elaborating on how the experience highlighted areas for improvement and prepared the rookies to handle high-pressure situations.
(I don’t see it as a disadvantage, but as a good lesson for the rookies and for us.)
DLSU 3 – Laput 26, Canino 19, Reterta 10, Provido 9, Del Castillo 8, De Leon 1, Cabradilla 0, De Guzman 0, Nunag 0, Rodriguez 0
AdU 2 – Mordi 22, Nitura 21, Tuddao 11, Aseo 8, Sagaysay 4, Divinagracia 2, Dote 1, Aposaga 0
Set Scores: 19-25, 25-20, 25-21, 13-25, 15-5
