The DLSU Lady Spikers continued their unconquerable run in the UAAP Season 88 Women’s Volleyball Tournament after subjugating the ADMU Lady Eagles in straight sets, 25-12, 25-12, 25-18, earlier today, April 11, at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
Eshena Nunag led the Green-and-White to an overwhelming win, grabbing Player of the Game Honors by tallying 22 excellent sets and two points, while Angel Canino and Amie Provido contributed 15 and 12 points, respectively.
On the other side of the court, the Blue Eagles struggled with their defense as they were led by Ana Hermosura, scoring 10 points for the Katipunan-based squad.
Eagle hunt
The Lady Spikers ignited the opening frame on all cylinders, with Nunag acting as the tactical heartbeat of an explosive offense. While Team Captain Shevana Laput and Lilay Del Castillo anchored the middle with superb verticality, it was Nunag’s precise distribution that allowed the Spikers to punish a sluggish Ateneo defense. Despite a brief 2-all tie following a Zey Pacia cross, DLSU quickly pulled away as Del Castillo hammered back-to-back hits to enjoy an 8-4 lead. The Ateneans attempted to disrupt the rhythm with varied attack timings and deceptive dumps but the Taft-based squad remained supreme at the net heading into the first technical timeout.
The gap only widened as the set progressed, fueled by a clinical service ace from Laput and Nunag’s ability to turn awkward passes into perfect scoring opportunities. After a Del Castillo ace at 13-8, their archrivals spiraled into a series of unforced errors that stifled any hope of a rally. Shane Reterta and Laput eventually turned the net into a “no-fly zone,” with Laput’s consecutive blocks demoralizing the Ateneo hitters and pushing the advantage to 20-12. Unable to stabilize their floor defense or establish a consistent first ball, the Blue Eagles surrendered the set, 25-12, after a final ground error.
Tightened green grip
After a dominant first-set beatdown, the second set opened with the exact aggressiveness from the Lady Spikers. The green shirts stormed to an early 8-1 lead, capitalizing on a string of errors from the Katipunan-based squad while imposing themselves at the net. Canino and Laput led the charge on both ends, shutting down Alexia Montoro and Pacia while also turning defense into quick points in transition, 13-4.
Ateneo tried to steady themselves midway through the frame with Hermosura and Robielle Silla finding small openings, but it never quite translated into a real run as the Lady Spikers furthered control with a 19-9 advantage. The Blue Eagles continued to struggle against La Salle’s quick attacks, with Provido repeatedly slipping through for easy conversions.
With the white shirts unable to establish rhythm both offensively and defensively, the Taft-based squad kept pressing the stagnant defense from the opposite end. Del Castillo and Canino took care of the late push, and after a brief exchange of points, Vida Caringal’s ace sealed a dominant 25-12 set, putting the Green-and-White firmly in command.
Locking in
The third set began as a haunting echo of the first two periods for ADMU, characterized by brittle floor defense and a disjointed transition game. The Blue Eagles handed La Salle an early 3-0 cushion through a combination of net violations and ground errors, while DLSU remained clinical with Canino’s authoritative strike down the middle and Del Castillo’s soft touch heading into the technical timeout, 8-3. However, the momentum shifted midway through as defensive lapses from the Green-and-White fueled a spirited Ateneo run. A massive block by Donna De Leon and a well-placed score from Geezel Tsunashima allowed the Blue Eagles to snatch their first lead of the entire game at 15-14, but Provido fired back and quickly stabilized La Salle with a timely block to reclaim a 16-15 advantage.
The final stretch belonged to the composure of the Green Archers as they dismantled the Ateneo defense. Canino’s precision down-the-line and a gritty joust win at the net pushed the lead to 19-16, forcing an ADMU timeout that failed to halt the slide. Nunag’s deceptive dump and Reterta’s power hit through the block demoralized the Blue Eagles, bringing the score to 24-18. The match concluded on a note of high drama when a net touch was called against Ateneo. Despite a desperate challenge from the Blue Eagles to stay alive, the video review confirmed the violation. The unsuccessful challenge officially secured the set and match for La Salle, punishing ADMU’s late-game instability, 25-18.
Despite the straight-sets finish, the brief third-set wobble was not lost on the Lady Spikers with coach Noel Orcullo quick to call out the lapse in intensity from the Green-and-White. “‘Nung third set, medyo nag-relax eh, parang nawala sa focus na naman, hopefully [‘di na] ‘yun mangyari sa susunod,” he stated, reiterating the team’s constant reminder to stay at the top of their game and finish matches decisively.
(In the third set, they relaxed a bit and seemed to lose their focus again, hopefully that does not happen next time.)
Even with the top seed, the Taft-based squad remain grounded, embracing both the pressure and privilege of their position. “‘Yung 12-0 standing is merely a number… goal pa rin namin ma-sweep, pero para maiwasan ‘yung dagdag pressure, mas ine-enjoy na lang namin,” Del Castillo shared, emphasizing their balanced approach as the elimination round winds down.
(Our 12-0 standing is merely a number… our goal is still to complete a sweep, but to avoid added pressure, we’re just choosing to enjoy it.)
The Lady Spikers will continue their conquest for the step-ladder format as they face the UE Lady Warriors on Wednesday, April 15, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
The Scores:
DLSU 3– Canino 15, Provido 12, Del Castillo 9, Laput 9, Reterga 6, Caringal 2, Nunag 2
ADMU 0 – Hermosura 10, Montoro 7, Tsunashima 6, Pacia 5, De Leon 4, Fujimoto 2, Chuatico 1, Silla 1
Set Scores: 25-12, 25-12, 25-18
