The DLSU Lady Spikers triumphed in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 88 Women’s Volleyball Finals after a superb straight-set victory over the NU Lady Bulldogs, 25-23, 25-18, 25-18, on Wednesday, May 6, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Angel Canino led the way for the Green-and-White, as she was hailed Player of the Game after delivering 17 points and nine digs. Amie Provido and Shane Reterta also provided firepower with 12- and 11-point contributions, respectively.
On the other side, the Lady Bulldogs were powered by Arah Panique’s game-high 18-point barrage, followed by a 12-point burst from Team Captain Vange Alinsug in the valiant effort.
Turning the tide
The Lady Spikers found themselves on the back foot early in the opening frame, struggling to contain NU’s aggressive serving and wing attacks. An early ace from Lams Lamina and consecutive crosscourt conversions from the Lady Bulldogs quickly pushed DLSU into a 4-1 hole, while untimely errors from the green side further allowed NU to dictate the tempo. Even as Canino began to find her rhythm through sharp crosscourt finishes and off-the-block hits, the Lady Spikers continued to wrestle with the reigning queens’ varied offense led by Alinsug, whose attacks from the pipe and wings helped stretch the Lady Bulldogs’ cushion to 14-9 midway through the set.
Despite trailing for most of the set, the Lady Spikers gradually settled into the match behind improved floor coverage and net defense. The Lady Spikers began extending rallies through consistent digs, providing an avenue for their offense to slowly take shape late in the set. Canino spearheaded the rally with timely conversions and a service ace, while substitutions from the DLSU bench injected fresh energy into the rotation. What once stood as a five-point deficit soon narrowed to a single point as Reterta caught fire, unloading a down-the-line pouncer that eventually knotted the set at 19-all.
From there, the starting set turned into a battle of composure. Reterta continued to deliver in crucial moments, while Lilay Del Castillo came up with timely reads at the net, disrupting NU’s quick stances. After Canino powered through the middle to bring DLSU to set point, Provido ultimately sealed the comeback with a quick attack, completing DLSU’s rally from an early deficit to steal the opener, 25-23.
Onslaught of arrows
A recalibrated Lady Spiker offense propelled the squad immediately as Del Castillo deflected a spike to draw first blood. Reterta followed up with two consecutive spikes to secure an uncontested 3-0 lead, prompting an early NU timeout. Alinsug would reset the tone for the Bulldogs with a service ace; however, Canino and Del Castillo retorted with their own spike and a service ace, respectively, as the squad’s offense fired on all cylinders. Panique then responded by angling herself for two well-placed spikes from the side, cutting DLSU’s advantage to two, 7-5.
The Taft-based squad dictated the tempo once again as they maintained a tight grip on the lead, with NU only keeping up through the Alinsug and Panique duo. As the match raged on, a threat arose for the Lady Spikers as Alexa Mata denied a spike to tie the set up at 10-all, sending the Nationalian crowd into excitement in hopes of finally taking the lead. Fortunately, consecutive attack errors gave DLSU much-needed breathing room to regain composure, as Canino went at it yet again, recovering off a broken play for a spike into the back. Another perfect set-up allowed a crosscourt hit for the former rookie MVP, securing a 16-13 foothold for the white shirts.
As the final stretch of the set approached, La Salle blew the lid wide open. A service from Shevana Laput enabled a freeball for Provido to launch a spike against a dazed NU defense. Laput followed up, securing a service ace to distance the Lady Spikers’ lead by a five-point margin, 19-14. The Bulldogs’ one-player army in Panique did not suffice as DLSU had all hands on deck. Canino would go on with back-to-back attacks from the left side to finish off the second set in superb fashion, 25-18.
When the walls closed in
Despite already holding a two-set advantage, the Lady Spikers opened the third frame on shaky footing as NU stormed to an early 4-0 lead behind aggressive attacking and DLSU miscues. Alinsug immediately imposed her presence through sharp finishes, while the Lady Bulldogs capitalized on DLSU’s sluggish play through the opening stretch. Although Provido and Laput slowly chipped away at the deficit with quick attacks and smart placements, NU continued to push the pace midway through the set, carrying an 11-8 edge behind Panique’s consistent scoring from the open wing.
DLSU, however, gradually found its rhythm through steadier net defense and a more composed offensive execution. Laput sparked the shift with a monstrous block that tied the frame at 12-all, while Provido’s activity in the middle began to disrupt NU’s attacking flow. After trading points in a tightly-contested exchange, the Lady Spikers finally seized their lead of the set at 16-15 following an unsuccessful NU challenge that swung momentum toward the Green-and-White.
From there, DLSU unleashed a dominant closing run built on relentless net defense and high-efficiency attacking. Canino repeatedly pierced NU’s floor defense from the pipe, while Provido anchored the middle with consecutive killer blocks that widened the gap to five, 20-15. Reterta likewise delivered timely finishes at the net as the Lady Spikers overwhelmed the Lady Bulldogs with a suffocating endgame surge. An attack error by NU ultimately sealed the straight-set victory, 25-18, completing the Finals opener sweep in commanding fashion and giving them a 1-0 advantage in the series.
In a well-orchestrated match coming off a long rest before the Finals, Lady Spikers Head Coach Ramil de Jesus emphasized that the long break allowed the squad to prepare while shaking off the rust that came with not having matches to keep the team fresh: “Actually, more on recovery and konting conditioning nga rin, mas maganda nga pasok agad sa Finals since hindi sunod-sunod ang game, and that was more of an advantage that we took.” The long preparation proved especially useful as the Taft-based squad excelled over the Bulldogs, who had just come out of a grind fight in the stepladder.
(Actually, more on recovering and a little conditioning; it was better that we went straight into the Finals since we didn’t have consecutive games, and that was more of an advantage we took.)
With the star-studded Finals matchup underway, Canino emphasized the importance of belief, not just in herself, but in her teammates, especially given the previous season’s devastating end. “I’m very patient to myself and to my teammates talaga, and I think ‘yun yung isang magdadala sa amin para mag-champion. Hindi lang basta-basta skill ang kailangan sa court,” the veteran outside hitter shared, which was exemplified in the squad’s capability to stay composed between the sets.
(I’m very patient with myself and my teammates, and I think that is what will make us champions. It’s not just only about skill on the court.)
With one victory away from a perfect campaign, the Lady Spikers look to close out their historic season and clinch the championship in Game 2 on Saturday, May 9, at the same venue.
The Scores:
DLSU 3 – Canino 17, Provido 12, Laput 11, Reterta 11, Del Castillo 5, Caringal 1, Nunag 1, De Leon 0, Reyes 0, Rodriguez 0, Santos 0
NU 0 – Panique 18, Alinsug 12, Maaya 5, Mata 3, Cantada 2, Escanlar 2, Lamina 2, Bombita 0, Cepada 0, Jardio 0, Marsh 0, Pono 0, Serneche 0
Set Scores: 25-23, 25-18, 25-18