Lady Spikers dominate FEU in a straight-set fashion
The De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Spikers (7–1) dominated the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws (4–4) in straight sets, 25–19, 25–21, 25–18, in their first matchup in the 2nd Round of the UAAP S86 Women’s Volleyball Tournament, earlier today at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Player of the Game (POG) was awarded to Kapitana Julia Coronel, garnering 16 excellent sets and tallying two points off of blocks.
Set one began with back-to-back errors from both sides, with the Lady Spikers registering a service error and attack errors from Coronel, Alleiah Malaluan, and Shevana Laput, respectively. Despite La Salle trailing for much of the set’s initial phase, the Taft-based squad sought to narrow the gap, thanks to Malaluan’s swift decision-making and Amie Provido’s timely attacks, bringing the score to a tie at 12-all. As the match progressed, Angel Canino showcased her dominance by scoring four consecutive points through powerful spikes, enabling La Salle to pull ahead from the previously tied score, 17–13. With DLSU taking advantage of unforced errors by the Lady Tamaraws, the set soon concluded after Tagaod’s attack sailed out of bounds, granting DLSU a one-set advantage, 25–19.
The second set unfolded with a different tone compared to the previous, as DLSU surged ahead with points earned from FEU’s errors and Provido’s slide attack, bringing the score to 6–5. Thea Gagate then made her mark on the scoreboard with two successful attacks from the middle position. Subsequently, the pair of Canino-Laput gave the Green and White more opportunities to score, 11–9. The cohesive efforts of Faida Bakanke and Gerzel Petallo however, enabled FEU to narrow the gap. Despite this, Jyne Soreño and Provido ensured the momentum remained on La Salle’s side, as both landed hits to maintain a 19–17 advantage. Following this, Soreño’s commanding presence on the court was evident, drawing a point from a block that garnered praise from Head Coach Ramil De Jesus, who rewarded the former with a trademark high five as a sign of satisfaction. Additionally, Canino remained steadfast, landing powerful and strategic spikes to keep the lead and later bringing them to set point. Malaluan then sealed the set with a targeted shot to Zone 6, 25–21.
The final set commenced with Malaluan seizing an opportunity in FEU’s court to secure the first point. On the other hand, Petallo persisted, attempting to maintain momentum for the Lady Tamaraws and prevent DLSU from taking the lead. Nonetheless, several errors from FEU proved detrimental to these efforts. With a succession of net touches called against the Tamaraws, coupled with Coronel and Provido’s assertive attacks and blocks, the Taft-based squad surged ahead, 10–7. Then a 3–0 run fueled by Canino’s service ace and Malaluan and Provido’s attacking prowess, further widened the gap. Despite Bakanke’s efforts to narrow the deficit with her spikes, Gagate’s presence at the frontline bestowed DLSU with a considerable advantage, leaving FEU facing a seven-point separation, 20–13. As the set progressed, Coronel showcased her skills, securing a dominant block for match point. The Captain then set up Provido for a quick slide attack, which concluded the match, 25–18, completing the sweep against the Lady Tamaraws.
Catch the DLSU Lady Spikers as they strive to remain in the winning column against the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons (1–6) on April 4, 2 PM, at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena.
Set Scores: 25–19, 25–21, 25–18
Box Scores:
DLSU 3 — Canino 15, Gagate 10, Malaluan 8, Provido 7, Soreño 7, Laput 4, Coronel 2, De Leon (L) 0
FEU 0 — Bakanke 13, Petallo 13, J. Asis 6, Tagaod 4, Devosora 2, A. Asis 1, Alberto 0, Monares 0, Panangin 0, Papa 0, Ubaldo 0, Encarnacion (L) 0
