The DLSU Lady Spikers stood atop the mountain once again, reclaiming the throne after completing a series sweep against the NU Lady Bulldogs, 25-22, 25-16, 25-16, in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 88 Women’s Volleyball Tournament yesterday, May 9, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Unflappable in their pursuit, the Green-and-White operated with surefire composure, dictating the tempo from the opening serve. Team Captain Shevana Laput steered the newly crowned champions to the summit, tallying 20 points on 14 attacks and six blocks, earning her Finals MVP honors. Angel Canino ignited the offensive park with 11 points, while Amie Provido ensured the Lady Bulldogs incurred constant pressure at the net, contributing nine points as well.
On the Sampaloc side, Vange Alinsug and Sam Cantada hunched together for 14 and eight points, respectively, but their efforts were stifled as the Green-and-White inundated their opponents’ climb with a defensive deluge.
Renewed legacy
In a clincher where only one legacy could prevail before 17,596 hopefuls, the Lady Spikers proved that their pedigree was never confined to history; pushing to the championship with steady conviction, the pressure never seemed capable of overriding the instinct of true champions.
Unlike the opener where the Green-and-White moved with the hesitation of a squad disrupted by a long layoff, the Lady Spikers returned prepared, executing their tactics flawlessly. The early goings of the set were a perfect display of La Salle establishing immediate comfort. At the center of that composure stood Laput, whose clinical attacks and well-timed blocks energized the scoring and cornered the Jhocson-based squad, 8-5.
Canino and Shane Reterta were in character, duplicating their virtuoso in Game 1 as they sustained the same offensive command that steadied them, 11-9. The floor never slipped from DLSU’s control as Laput remained unflinching, understanding that legacy is built through steadfast leadership, 12-9. As the team began to outline the narrative’s ending, the Lady Spikers painted excellence with spotless permanence. Eshana Nunag, undetectable in the precision of her distribution, trusted every scoring outlet to make Lyka De Leon-led defensive structure into conversion plays, 17-12.
However, the defending champions refused to falter in the latter stretch as efforts by Arah Panique, Cham Maaya, and Alinsug mounted a dangerous 5-0 surge, capitalizing on the sudden defensive disarray from the Taft-based squad. However, Canino operated with clear offensive and defensive resolve, forged through countless pressure-filled tests. Alongside the spark provided by Lilay Del Castillo and the rest of the Lady Spikers, they extinguished the NU threat and inched closer to the crown, 25-22.
No-brainer
With the weight of the late-set surge hanging over their minds, attacking woes came crashing down on the defending champions, gifting the Green-and-White a 2-0 advantage. Exploiting the momentum that tilted toward their side, the Taft towers began settling on both ends of the net, forcing NU’s attacks to boomerang just as the Lady Bulldogs rediscovered their groove. When things were starting to take a turn for the worse, Maaya came alive to challenge La Salle’s middles and trim their deficit to three, 9-6. By then however, the Sampaloc squad’s resolve started to fragment as Alinsug’s lone conversion proved impossible to offset the errors that allowed the Lady Spikers to remain comfortably on top, 14-8.
From a Canino off-the-block hit to a Provido slide, a stream of varied attacks was orchestrated by the ladies in green as they gained greater room to maximize their rotation. A new monster appeared to stand before the titleholders, who were barely fighting their way to double digits with their unsalvageable reception. As such, in true Lasallian fashion, the Lady Spikers pounced on the giveaway and stretched the lead to 10, 20-10.
Attempting one last gallant stand, Myrtle Escanlar delivered an ace, followed by Alinsug’s down-the-line attack. Even then, Canino was quick to snap their fantasy of a comeback, scoring off a combination that landed a facial on Harlyn Serneche, 22-14. Laput pulled the trigger to close the second set, ending her brief lull with a ringing crosscourt and an attack that further exposed NU’s wide open backrow, 25-16.
Golden march
With only a set away from fulfilling Head Coach Ramil de Jesus’ long-awaited masterpiece, the Lady Spikers took the floor with a mindset anchored in stability. From the opening exchanges, La Salle immediately settled into rhythm, with Nunag orchestrating the offense through structured transitions that kept NU on the back foot, 5-3.
As the prize of the championship demanded poise, Provido became a symbol of intimidation, stifling the Blue-and-Gold in a tight scoring affair. Confidence radiated through La Salle as they stayed consistent between transitions, with tightened floor coverage and disciplined defensive stops to keep the Panique-laden offensive attempts out of rhythm, 10-7.
Nearing their 13th title, the Lady Spikers entered a controlled flow state where urgency dissolved into structure and the lead steadily widened, 15-10. As the scoreboard reached 20-15, the court became a canvas for the Animo spirit. It became a test of patience and belief, a collective refusal to blink as a long-held vision finally took form in reality.
In the final act, the straight-set finish appeared seamless only in hindsight, anchored by a unison of rhythm that carried the Lady Spikers forward. The 16-0 streak no longer read as dominance alone, but as the inevitable fulfillment of a destiny they had built for themselves. Standing at match point, they moved with unshaken certainty as Laput struck the final blow, closing the set at 25-16 to march into golden glory. In that final moment, legacy was no longer something to be chased; it was authored by the Lady Spikers themselves.
Turning the promise of a 13th title into reality, Season 88’s Best Middle Blocker Provido recalled drowning the noise that sought to cast their redemption campaign in a negative light. “Basta bilog ‘yung bola, lahat kakayanin mo. This season is a statement na walang imposible, na kaya naming ibalik ‘yung championship sa La Salle,” she asserted.
(As long as the ball is still round, you can fight through everything. This season is a statement that nothing is impossible, that we are capable of bringing the championship back to La Salle.)
Entering the battle fully aware that they needed to surpass the Lady Bulldogs’ three-peat thirst, Laput remarked that the title was built on a complete return from scratch. “We knew we could get this. We manifested it, but more than that, we worked hard for it. Every single day, we worked toward that,” she said. Named Finals MVP, the well-rounded captain reflected on the personal goal that today’s statement had fulfilled for her: “To be the best version I can be to help ignite these girls, support them, and lead the way.”
Despite another title under his legacy, Head Coach de Jesus admitted that he never expected a 16-0 sweep. Long regarded for cultivating generations of elite athletes, he reduced his coaching philosophy to one powerful word: discipline. In fulfilling his commitment—“turuan ang gustong matuto”—he emphasized that another crucial ingredient lies in a student-athlete’s willingness to embrace DLSU beyond its name. “Kailangan mong sumunod. Kailangan mong gawin ‘yung kulturang mayroon,” he noted.
(Teach those who are willing to learn. You have to follow. You have to uphold the culture that is already in place.)
With a potential back-to-back title run still lying in the distance, senior star Canino, subtly fueling speculation surrounding her last playing year, declared that the team has no plans of slowing down: “Hindi natatapos ang lahat ng ‘to sa isang championship.”
(This doesn’t end with a single championship.)
Shattering skepticism about their capacity and mental fortitude to give the finishing blow, the Green-and-White now stand not just as writers of history, but as living history themselves.
The Scores:
DLSU 3 – Laput 20, Canino 11, Provido 9, Reterta 8, Del Castillo 8, Nunag 2, Santos 0, Buenaventura 0, Rodriguez 0, De Leon 0, Cabradilla 0, Reyes 0, De Guzman 0, Caringal 0, De Jesus 0, Ewis 0
NU 0 – Alinsug 14, Cantada 8, Panique 7, Maaya 6, Mata 3, Marsh 1, Escanlar 1, Bombita 0, Pono 0, Jardio 0, Jacob 0, Salazar 0, Lamina 0, Serneche 0, Daylisan 0, Cepada 0
Set Scores: 25-22, 25-16, 25-16