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UAAP: La Salle strikes back, defeats Ateneo in four sets
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Aby Maraño celebrates as DLSU got back on track in their quest to add another championship to their already-impressive collection. Jeff Venancio
The De La Salle Lady Spikers bucked an inspired comeback by the Ateneo de Manila Lady Eagles, to escape with a 25-14 25-20 19-25 26-24 win on Saturday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum, to close to within a win of a four-peat in the UAAP women's volleyball tournament.
Ara Galang led DLSU with 17 points off 16 attacks for Best Player of the Game honors.
Coach Ramil de Jesus spoke after the match of the well-played performance of both squads:
“Nagkaroon ng pagrerelax, kumapit yung kalaban, nakuha nila yung third set, lumakas yung crowd kaya gumanda yung laban.”
Entering the Finals with a thrice-to-beat advantage after sweeping the elimination round, DLSU was ambushed by their arch-rivals, despite taking the first set. As a result, things boiled down to essentially a best-of-three series between the two squads, with the Lady Spikers now possessing the upper hand.
“Nagkaroon ng pagrerelax, kumapit yung kalaban, nakuha nila yung third set, lumakas yung crowd kaya gumanda yung laban.”
Entering the Finals with a thrice-to-beat advantage after sweeping the elimination round, DLSU was ambushed by their arch-rivals, despite taking the first set. As a result, things boiled down to essentially a best-of-three series between the two squads, with the Lady Spikers now possessing the upper hand.
[Related: Lady Eagle Valdez brings home hat-trick of titles including MVP]
In the first set, MVP Alyssa Valdez struggled with a multitude of mis-hits and outside attacks as the Lady Spikers pushed ahead to a 16-11 advantage. With La Salle cohesive in their blocking, the Lady Spikers increased their lead to a double-digit buffer at 23-13. Cyd Demecillo sealed the deal for the opening set with a down the line hit that served to be too much for the Atenean receivers to handle, 25-13.
Ateneo struggled in the first set as their keen libero, Den Lazaro, was sidelined after rolling her ankle.
Aby Maraño and Kim Fajardo led the offensive outburst for La Salle, with the latter leaning on deceptive tips for points. Ateneo co-captain Ella de Jesus showed signs of brilliance with a kill that pierced through the double block and a service ace that inched the Lady Eagles closer at 22-18 in the second set. However, it was a case of too little too late as Fajardo had the cerebral advantage over Ateneo. The season's Best Setter found cracks in the Lady Eagle’s defense as DLSU finished the second set, 25-20.
La Salle leaped out to an early 5-1 lead before Marge Tejada willed Ateneo closer. Tejada, back from nursing a knee injury, sparked Ateneo with her efficiency from the service zone. In addition, Lazaro returned to the floor, which boosted the morale of the Ateneo crowd.
Ateneo entered the first technical timeout on top at 8-6 and further padded their lead at 11-7. After a well-angled Valdez cross-court winner that forced La Salle to call for time, the Lady Spikers answered back to the Ateneo surge with a 4-0 run.
Ateneo held on with Ahomiro lining up consecutive well-timed blocks to give Ateneo a 21-16 advantage. The Lady Eagles finished the third set at 25-19 care of a Kassaranda Gequillana front-row attack.
The fourth set started off with a back-and-forth affair between both squads. A Morado-Valdez scoring connection pushed Ateneo ahead at 8-7, but it was easily countered by the veterans of La Salle. A Maraño running attack and errors on Ateneo’s part gave La Salle a 12-9 advantage.
The combination of Galang and Maraño gave La Salle some cushion, none bigger than a 21-16 advantage. Despite an early match point at 24-21, Ateneo answered back quickly care of back-to-back service aces from the season's Best Server, Valdez, to knot the fourth at 24-all.
Valdez, however, lined up a service error that gave La Salle match point anew. The Lady Spikers finished the set and the match with an Ateneo unforced error, 26-24.
Mika Reyes had 14 points off 12 kills, a block and an ace while team captain Abi Maraño added 11 markers. Cyd Demecillo and newly-crowned Best Setter Kim Fajardo had six points each.
