Sweeps Round 1 of UAAP women’s volleyball tourney
VENGEFUL De La Salle University (DLSU) turned a much-awaited rematch with reigning champion National University (NU) into a strong statement to the rest of the league, scoring a 25-21, 25-19, 19-25, 25-17 romp to complete a first-round sweep in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The DLSU Lady Spikers yielded only a single set to the back-to-back titleholders marked by a 15-3 runaway salvo in the fourth set for the convincing win before an 18,351-strong crowd.
La Salle will head into the second round unscathed at 7-0, in full control of the race after losing only four sets in total for a good start to its redemption tour from a bridesmaid finish to NU last season.
Shevana Laput tallied 19 points on 15 hits, three blocks and an ace while Angel Canino cashed in 14 points on 11 attacks, two aces and a block to go along 10 receptions and six digs as La Salle in the process snapped a five-game skid against NU, including a finale sweep.
Amie Provido was also instrumental, especially in their near meltdown from a 12-point lead in the fourth, with 12 points on 10 hits and two blocks laced by nine digs as La Salle survived 31 errors, none bigger than 17 from services.
La Salle kept NU at bay in the first two sets, never trailing except for 0-1 scores in each set but cooled down in the third from 11-all as Sam Cantada, Arah Panique, Chams Maaya and Celine Marsh led a 10-4 barrage to take command at 21-15 en route to the win.
But the Lady Spikers were quick to regroup, catching the Lady Bulldogs off guard in the fourth with a whopping 15-3 start capped by Ms. Canino’s back-to-back hits.
NU would unleash one last hurrah with a staggering 13-3 rally behind Ms. Cantada’s heroics to strike within 16-18 only for Ms. Provido to come to La Salle’s rescue.
Ms. Provido, the ace middle blocker for the No. 1 blocking team, scored four points in La Salle’s 7-1 closeout punctuated by a service ace.
Mses. Cantada (13), Maaya (10), Marsh (8), Panique (7) led the way but captain Vange Alinsug bled for just five points as the Lady Bulldogs settle for only second place after the first round for the first time in three seasons.
ADAMSON
Earlier, Adamson University whipped the Casiey Dongallo-less University of the Philippines (UP), 25-18, 25-16, 25-19, and forged a three-way tie at third spot.
Nigerian spiker Frances Mordi hammered 18 points while national team player Shaina Nitura added 14 as the Lady Falcons notched their best first-round record in three seasons, tying Far Eastern University (FEU) and University of Santo Tomas at 4-3.
It took only 79 minutes for Adamson to do the feat, dominating the souped UP unit under Italian mentor Fabio Menta, whose wards dropped four of their last five matches after a 2-0 start for sixth place at 3-4.
No player finished in double figures for UP, which felt the absence of former high school sensation and UE transferee Dongallo following her season-ending ACL injury and meniscus tears in her left knee against FEU.
Fina Ali (8), Joan Monares (7) and Bienne Bansil (7) led the way while captain Niña Ytang settled for five points in UP’s third straight loss to fall to sixth place with a 3-4 record.
In the men’s division, Chris Hernandez scored 18 points as the surging La Salle (3-4) notched its third straight win at the expense of five-peat champion NU (5-2), 19-25, 25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 15-10.
The Green Spikers caught the Blue Eagles at joint fourth place after a flat 0-4 start while Adamson (2-5) spoiled the 35-point eruption of Nigerian ace spiker Olayemi Raheem to beat UP (2-5), 25-21, 28-26, 22-25, 25-27, 15-13.. — John Bryan Ulanday
