La Salle Lady Spikers fulfill date with destiny after sweep: ‘Ginusto ng mga bata manalo’

Accomplishing a momentous feat that has not been done by the program since UAAP Season 76, De La Salle University have swept through the elimination round and are now finals-bound for the 22nd time.

However, the privilege of being considered unblemished did not come easy for the Lady Spikers, as it had to overcome a tough adversary in the form of titleholders National University.

Down 1-2 in sets and subsequently 21-23 in the fourth canto, La Salle dug deep, coming up with key defensive actions and thumping attacks to force a decider.

Impressed by the heart shown by his squad in testing moments, DLSU assistant coach Noel Orcullo shared his elation in securing a 14-0 undefeated elimination round record.

“Ginusto ng mga bata na manalo,” asserted the mentor regarding La Salle’s impressive comeback.

“Lamang 'yung NU nung fourth set, talaga lang kinapitan. Kumbaga 'yung puso nand'un, talagang gusto nilang manalo. Sabi nga namin sa mga bata, mahirap 'yung pagdadaanan natin, 'yung sweep. Kailangan lang natin magtiyaga,” Orcullo added.

Aside from the team’s challenges throughout the heated five sets, hitter Shane Reterta and middle blocker Amie Provido recounted the individual obstacles that they had to hurdle in order to help their team claim victory.

Hobbled and hurt amidst battle, Reterta did not want to leave anything to doubt, sharing her desire to be one of the providers for La Salle against NU.

“'Yung iniinda ko, oo masakit siya, pero mas kailangan namin na manalo muna…Itong nararamdaman ko, pwede pa ‘to after game, pwede pa ‘to bukas, pwede pa ‘to sa ibang araw,” acclaimed the five-foot-nine player.

“Kung ititigil ko ‘yung sarili ko na lumabas, kung hindi ngayon, kailan? Kailan pa namin magagawa. Para sa sarili ko, kaya kong ilaban kung ano man ‘yung nararamdaman ko.”

For the battle-tested Provido on the other hand, she observed that her team needed a calming voice amongst the noise.

“Lagi kong sinasabi sa sarili ko na during ‘yung mga tough moments, parang gusto ko isa ako sa magpakalma sa team, magbigay ng fire. So ‘yun ‘yung lagi kong sinasabi sa sarili ko na kalmahan ko lang, kailangan kong tulungan yung team.”

Now observing and eagerly waiting for the team who will prevail in the step ladder Final Four, Orcullo and DLSU leader Angel Canino erred on the side of caution as they acknowledged the last time a La Salle team had an outright birth to the finals.

“Eye opener siya sa team namin. Despite having this win, talagang kailangan namin i-accept sa bawa’t isa sa amin na marami kaming lapses as a team…Thankful ako kasi andyan yung mga bata, andyan yung mga coaches. Yung team effort na kahit makita mo na medyo nawawala yung bawa’t isa, yung pagpursigi ng bawa’t isa nadun padin,” said Canino.

“Yung nightmare namin nung Season 76, talagang ayaw na naming maulit.” Orcullo recalled when the Lady Spikers conceded a thrice-to-beat advantage to Ateneo in 2014.

“Itong nangyari ngayon na nag-waiting kami for [the] championship, tatrabahuhin na namin ng gusto…Hindi kami bibitaw bawa’t isa, kung ano ‘yung goal ng coach, kung ano ‘yung goal ng players, doon kami. Kung paano namin binuo ‘to, kung paano namin inumpisahan, ganun di namin tatapusin.”

—JKC, GMA News