Fresh off their late surge in the first round, the DLSU Green Spikers opened up Round 2 of the UAAP Men’s Volleyball Tournament triumphantly as they took down the AdU Soaring Falcons in four sets, 25-20, 25-20, 26-28, 33-31, earlier today, March 21, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Issa Ousseini led all scorers in the game as he notched 26 points. Eugene Gloria and Glen Ventura also contributed 17 and 16 points, respectively, in the Green Spikers’ victory.
On the other end of the taraflex, Richard Besorio propelled the Falcons as he logged 22 points, with Lance Flestado and Joel Menor also putting up 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Game of runs
Heading into the first set, the Green Spikers’ defense was put to the test as Adamson drew first blood with a devastating spike from Maruel Tan down the center, which DLSU could not react to in time. In retaliation, Gloria sliced an unorthodox angle from the wing to deadlock, eventually getting back-to-back blocks as he went on his own 3-0 scoring run. NJ Bangit’s playmaking ability set up Gloria and Chris Hernandez from the wing, while also giving a center-favoring Ousseini opportunities from the middle, leading to a 4-1 scoring run by La Salle.
In between the Green-and-White’s scoring runs, AdU could only chip away with short bursts in between to level the playing field, coupled with unforced errors on the white shirts’ end. Eric Layug and Ventura butted in for La Salle with Bangit providing much-needed sets to put them in position to spike cross-court hits to cap another 3-0 run for DLSU, inflating the lead to 16-11 midway through the set with majority of the Falcons’ points coming from the Green Spikers’ own blunders.
With a dire situation at hand, the San Marcelino-based squad took it into their own hands as Flestado joined the fray with spikes into corner pockets, surprising the DLSU reception while Menor added in to pierce the hands of the green shirts. AdU would notch a 4-0 run, deflating La Salle’s game-long scoring cushion at 18-16. However, the Green Spikers caught on as Adamson gave up free ball possessions and committed unforced errors for a 3-0 scoring blitz, coupled by offensive outputs by Ventura’s long-range spikes and a Hernandez service ace. Gloria eventually sealed the deal with a tap into the front and the Green Spikers finished off the set at 25-20.
Late resurgence
Riding on their momentum, the Taft-based squad readied while the Falcons recalibrated, as they grabbed the first point yet again with Besorio’s spike down the middle with no coverage. Ventura quickly retaliated as he came from the wing to go across the blockers, but tables would flip into AdU’s grasp. Besorio grabbed consecutive service aces, together with Flestado having the hot hand, piercing the defense. Gloria attempted a counterattack but was thwarted as it went wide, ultimately putting DLSU at a 7-2 deficit early into the set.
Faced with this predicament, the Green Spikers needed to fine-tune their strategy, while the Soaring Falcons adjusted easily with center and front coverages to ease reception. With each spike from the Green-and-White, Flestado took two more in his reign as DLSU could not contain his offensive prowess. Block points from Hernandez and leaping attacks from MJ Fortuna could only quell Adamson’s blaze, as the deficit was maintained at 12-8.
However, DLSU kicked it up a gear, with combination plays and sets by Bangit to stun the AdU defense. Ousseini’s spikes were too much for the reception to handle, while Fortuna made the Falcons scramble for front coverages with quick strikes. The Falcons’ resolve eventually crumbled late with timely net touch errors, tying the game at 17-all. Bangit found all attackers, from Ventura and Layug at the wings, to Ousseini from the center, for spikes, ultimately allowing the Green Spikers to regain their rhythm as a collective, with the middle blocker notching set point with back-to-back blocks. Gloria yet again finished the set off with a spike off the block, putting the Green-and-White up two sets to none with a 25-20 victory.
Slipping the sweep
Aiming to finish the match in straight sets, the Green Spikers capitalized on early errors from the Soaring Falcons. La Salle built a steady advantage with Ousseini dominating the attack and Glen Ventura securing a timely kill block. The Green-and-White reached the technical timeout comfortably after Ousseini pierced through the defense for a 13-9 lead. However, the Soaring Falcons answered with a quick scoring run, highlighted by Besorio keeping Adamson within striking distance, 14-13.
The momentum shifted into a gritty exchange of points as both squads refused to back down. Joel Menor and the Adamson offense relentlessly targeted the backrow, forcing a series of deadlocks up to 20-all. Ousseini and Gloria executed crucial combination plays to try and close out the match, but Besorio answered right back. Despite Joshua Magalaman delivering a massive block to give La Salle match point at 25-24, unforced errors plagued the Taft-based squad. Adamson capitalized on the miscues, snatching the third set after a grueling back-and-forth, 28-26.
Weathering the storm
Shaking off their third-set stumble, the Green-and-White launched an aggressive early offense. Ventura and Gloria anchored the front line, establishing a quick 7-4 cushion through deep crosscourt attacks. Despite the early surge, the Soaring Falcons capitalized on Lasallian foot faults and attack errors to mount a comeback and tie the game at 10-all. Seeking to break the opponent’s momentum, DLSU called a crucial timeout. The recalibrated Lasallians responded effectively; Gloria smashed a statement spike to break the deadlock before Ousseini pushed La Salle to the technical timeout, 13-12.
The Green Spikers surged post-timeout, launching a barrage of attacks to establish a four-point gap, 17-13. However, the resilient Soaring Falcons clawed their way back, courtesy of clutch attacks from Tan and Besorio, forcing a tense 22-all deadlock. The endgame transformed into a marathon of nerves, with both teams trading match and set points through long rallies. Ousseini and Ventura stood tall during the extended sequence, consistently finding holes in the Adamson block. Ultimately, after a neck-and-neck, extended set, Gloria pierced the defense and Ventura delivered the final blow down the middle to claim the set and the match, 33-31.
Riding the momentum of this hard-fought victory, the DLSU Green Spikers will return to action against the UST Growling Tigers. The showdown is scheduled for March 25 at the same venue.
The Scores:
DLSU 3 – Ousseini 26, Gloria 17, Ventura 15, Hernandez 12, Layug 4, Bangit 2, Fortuna 2, Magalaman 1, Magallanes 1, Mendoza 1, Regidor 1, Retiro 0, Abut 0, Magalaman 0, Rodriguez, 0 R. Flores 0, Thomas 0
AdU 1 – Besorio 22, Flestado 11, Menor 10, Gutierrez 8, Tan 8, Coguimbal 6, Gay 4, Domingo 2, Obeda 2, Tahiluddin 0, Garces 0, Ducusin 0, Ornos 0, Cuadra 0, Costelo 0, Pon An 0,
Set Scores: 25-20, 25-20, 26-28, 33-31
