The DLSU Green Spikers powered through a rigid defensive showing by the UP Fighting Maroons to secure a four-set victory in the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Volleyball Tournament, 25-22, 25-23, 18-25, 26-24, earlier today, March 29, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
Eugene Gloria delivered on both ends with 15 points through 14 attacks and one ace, along with 13 excellent receptions. Yoyong Mendoza and Issa Ousseini both sparked on offense with 17 points apiece.
On the other side, Olayemi Raheem put up an offensive masterclass for the Diliman-based squad with 24 points, while Abram Robles and Tommy Castrodes scored 12 and 9 points, respectively.
Early boost
After a tough Round 1 loss to the Fighting Maroons, the Green Spikers started to attack from the get-go. Mendoza and Chris Hernandez got the Green-and-White on the board early, only for the Diliman-based squad to answer right back through Raheem, who evened things up with an ace, 2-all. From there, it was a steady back-and-forth, with neither side giving much ground. Mendoza kept finding ways to score, while Ousseini imposed himself at the net with crucial kill blocks. UP stayed within reach, thanks to contributions from Angelo Lipata and Tommy Castrodes, matching La Salle point for point through the first stretch of the set.
The Taft-based squad managed to create some breathing room midway through the opening set. Ousseini’s block and errors from the Maroon shirts helped spark a 4-0 run, shifting the tides with a 15-11 advantage. From there, the Green Spikers looked more in control, capitalizing on cleaner attacks while the Fighting Maroons started to misfire.
Still, the Maroons had one last push in them. Late in the set, Raheem and Milven Francisco led a 4-0 run, cutting the deficit to just two, 23-21. Hernandez stopped the bleeding just in time, delivering a much-needed point to bring La Salle to set point. The Diliman-based squad managed to extend things briefly with a point from Castrodes, but the early run by the white shirts proved to be enough cushion, with the Green Spikers holding on to take the set, 25-22.
Down the wire
Both teams exchanged heavy blows early in the second set, establishing a tight contest right away. Mendoza immediately made his presence felt for the Green Spikers, unleashing back-to-back attacks to build a three-point cushion, 9-6. Despite the early momentum, the UP Fighting Maroons steadily chipped away at the deficit behind Raheem, who hammered through the Lasallian blockers to force an 11-all deadlock. Hernandez briefly reclaimed the advantage for the Green-and-White with a smart combination play, but a subsequent service error allowed UP to snatch the lead heading into the technical timeout, 13-12.
Coming out of the break, NJ Bangit and Ousseini activated their lethal connection to keep the Taft-based squad in step with their opponents. A crucial overreach violation from the Diliman-based squad sparked a 3-0 run for La Salle, widening the gap to 17-14. UP refused to back down, capitalizing on DLSU errors to tie the game at 20-all and forcing a timeout. The Lasallians quickly regained their composure down the stretch. After trading side-outs, Gloria delivered a decisive spike off the UP block to clinch the second frame for La Salle, 25-23.
Flipped script
The Green Spikers opened the third set on shaky footing, as the Fighting Maroons quickly stamped its authority on the floor. A misfired serve from Paolo Layug handed the Maroons the first point, and Raheem immediately followed with a series of kills that built a 3-0 advantage. Mendoza finally answered for La Salle with a strong spike, but Robles and Raheem kept the pressure, forcing the Taft-based squad into an early 6-2 deficit.
Gloria tried to ignite the white shirts’ offense with a crosscourt hit, while Ousseini produced a timely block, giving the Green Spikers a glimpse of a comeback. Despite this, Castrodes and Raheem’s sharp attacks, coupled with Angelo Lipata’s aces, saw UP extend their lead to 19-9, with La Salle scrambling to keep up. The Maroons’ defense remained solid, often turning DLSU’s aggressive swings into points for themselves.
Despite the lopsided battle in the third, the Green Spikers began chipping away late in the set. Gloria’s soft touches and Ousseini’s quick hits brought the score to 23-14, followed by back-to-back points from La Salle that sparked energy in the Taft side. Magalaman’s smart kills over overreceives helped trim the deficit to 24-18, however, an error from Hernandez denied them a chance at a comeback, sealing the set for the Fighting Maroons, 25-18.
Sealing the match
Seeking to close out the match, the Green Spikers entered the fourth set with renewed aggression. An early service ace from Hernandez and a high-flying hit from Mendoza propelled DLSU to a quick advantage, 4-1. Gloria continued the onslaught from the left pin to extend the lead, prompting an early UP timeout. The Taft-based squad maintained their defensive intensity, with Bangit shutting the door on the Fighting Maroons to establish a comfortable cushion, 9-4. However, UP retaliated with a resilient run, utilizing consecutive aces and forcing DLSU errors to tie the game at 11-all. Rodriguez, who was inserted into the starting lineup for the set, delivered a timely running attack to stop the bleeding. The reliable Bangit-Ousseini connection then pushed the Lasallians ahead by a hair at the technical timeout, 13-12.
The remainder of the set became a grueling tug-of-war as both squads traded explosive attacks. UP managed to snatch the lead with a DLSU net touch violation, 18-16, forcing the Green-and-White to call for time to regroup. Unfazed by the pressure, Bangit launched a crucial service ace to spark a Lasallian fightback. Gloria then rose to the occasion, hammering a momentum-shifting spike to knot the score late in the frame, 21-all. With the game reaching a crucial deadlock at 24-all, La Salle exhibited sheer composure. A costly attack error from UP brought the Green Spikers to match point, before Ousseini fired a final service ace to officially secure their fifth victory of the season, 26-24.
Riding the momentum of their hard-fought bounce-back victory, the DLSU Green Spikers will look to sustain their winning form as they face a formidable challenge against the league-leading FEU Tamaraws on April 8 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Scores:
DLSU 3 – Mendoza 17, Ousseini 17, Mendoza 15, Hernandez 11, Bangit 4, Layug 2, Magalaman 2, Rodriguez 2, Flores 0, Regidor 0, Retiro 0, Ventura 0
UP 1 – Raheem 24, Robles 12, Lipata 10, Castodes 9, Fransisco 7, Aballe 3, Pacure 3, Chevis 1, Ac 0, Bersano 0, Calipes 0, Santiago 0, Sotto 0
Set Scores: 25-22, 25-23, 18-25, 26-24
