Second seed De La Salle University ably recovered after a dismal second set to eliminate third-ranked University of Santo Tomas, 25-22, 11-25, 25-21, 25-21, and book a UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Finals date with National University on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Finals series is a rematch of the Season 85 championship tussle wherein the Lady Spikers dethroned the Lady Bulldogs. La Salle will look to repeat that narrative this year.
Game 1 of the best-of-three Finals is scheduled on March 11 still at the historic Big Dome.
“Medyo happy. Medyo happy kasi slow start eh, ang tagal makapagadjust eventually nagpaikot kaagad ako ng setter so nakita ko naman na nagwork naman and yun na yun. Ineexpect ko pa na mas makagalaw pa sa susunod na game. Marami pa kaming dapat ayusin,” said La Salle head coach Ramil de Jesus after the match witnessed by 11,221 fans.
(“A bit happy. A bit happy because we had a slow start—it took a while for us to adjust. Eventually, I rotated the setter right away and I saw that it worked, so that was it. I’m expecting us to move better in the next game. We still have a lot to improve on.”)
The Lady Spikers are making a 21st championship appearance and are looking for a 13th title overall, all under De Jesus.
In another chapter of their storied rivalry, the Golden Tigresses looked to have gotten their groove after dominating the Lady Spikers in the second frame, 25-11.
But De La Salle showcased what winners are made of. They quickly regrouped despite the deflating second, pulling away from a 20-all count in the third as Shevana Laput scored three points in the Lady Spikers 5-1 finisher including two blocks while Angel Canino finished the frame with an off-the-block spiker off Em Banagua’s outstretched hands.
UST, however, entered the fourth period with renewed flame, opening it 4-0 but La Salle swiftly bounced back and was able to establish a 20-16 lead through the efforts of Alleiah Malaluan and Amie Provido.
Still fighting, the Golden Tigresses unloaded four straight points with contributions coming from Regina Jurado and Angge Poyos to tie it at 20 but that proved to be their last stand.
Provido, Canino, and Lilay Del Castillo strung together four straight points before a successful block touch challenge by UST on Poyos’ attack gave the Tigresses another lifeline at 21-24.
But the Season 86 Rookie of the Year served the ball short in the next play for the La Salle victory after two hours and 16 minutes.
“Syempre ‘yung UST hindi rin talaga madaling kalaban as in they’re known din talaga na grabe ang depensa nila tapos hindi rin sila basta basta naggigive up. Kailangan talaga na pusuan rin namin kasi gusto rin ng UST eh they really want na makabalik din ng Finals but syempre mas ginusto rin namin kasi we have a goal,” said Canino, who had 19 points in the win.
(“Of course, UST is never an easy opponent—they’re really known for their incredible defense and they never give up easily. We really had to put our hearts into it because UST also wanted it; they really wanted to make it back to the Finals. But we wanted it more because we have a goal.”)
Provido backed Canino with 15 points on 11 attacks, three aces, and a block, while Shevana Laput had 14 points.
Malaluan also delivered another well-rounded performance for the Lady Spikers with nine points, 15 digs, and 10 receptions while Lyka De Leon had 20 digs and 16 receptions.
UST finished as the bronze medalist, a place lower from last year, but will look forward to next year where they would welcome back recovering players Jonna Perdido and Xyza Gula.
Poyos and Jurado carried the Golden Tigresses’ fight with 22 and 21 points, respectively, but that was all the offense UST could produce.
The next highest scorer for them was Pia Abbu with five points. Detdet Pepito, in what could be her final game for the Tigresses, finished with 25 excellent digs and 14 excellent receptions.
