Sweeps Round 1 of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament
VENGEFUL De La Salle University (DLSU) turned a much-anticipated rematch with reigning champions National University (NU) into a strong statement for the entire league, scoring 25-21, 25-19, 19-25, 25-17 to complete a first round sweep of the UAAP Women’s Arenall Season 8ball Asia on Sunday.
The DLSU Lady Spikers dropped just one set to the back-to-back title holders marked by a 15-3 runaway salvo in the fourth set for a convincing victory before a crowd of 18,351.
La Salle will enter the second round with a 7-0 scoreline, fully in control of the race after losing only four sets if it has started its journey of redemption from last to NU last season.
Shevana Laput scored 19 points with 15 hits, three blocks and an ace while Angel Canino scored 14 points on 11 attacks, two aces and a block to go along with 10 receptions and six digs as La Salle went on a five-game skid against NU, including the final sweep.
Amie Provido also had a hand, especially in their close reduction from a 12-point lead in the fourth, with 12 points on 10 hits and two blocks combined with nine digs as La Salle survived 31 errors, none more than 17 from serves.
La Salle kept NU at bay in the first two sets, never trailing except 0-1 in each set but dropped to 11-all in the third as Sam Cantada, Arah Panique, Chams Maaya and Celine Marsh led 10-4 to take command 21-15 en route to the win.
But the Lady Spikers quickly rallied, catching the Lady Bulldogs off guard in the fourth with a 15-3 start that was capped by back-to-back hits by Ms. Canine.
NU will pull out the final straw with a 13-3 rally after the heroics of Ms. Cantada to score between 16-18 only Ms. Provido helped La Salle.
Ms. Provido, the team’s No. 1 middle blocker, scored four points in a 7-1 shutout of La Salle combined with a service ace.
Mrs. Cantada (13), Maaya (10), Marsh (8), Panique (7) lead the way but captain Vange Alinsug scored just five points as the Lady Bulldogs are only in second place after the first round for the first time in three seasons.
ADAMSON
Earlier, Adamson University beat the Casiey Dongallo-less University of the Philippines (UP), 25-18, 25-16, 25-19, and tied for third place.
Nigerian shooter Frances Mordi scored 18 points while national team player Shaina Nitura added 14 as the Lady Falcons posted their best first round record in three seasons, tying Far Eastern University (FEU) and University of Santo Tomas 4-3.
It took just 79 minutes for Adamson to get the job done, leading a souped-up unit under Italian mentor Fabio Menta, whose wards have dropped four of their last five games after starting 2-0 to finish sixth at 3-4.
No player finished in double figures for UP, feeling the absence of high school standout and UE transfer Dongallo following his season-ending ACL injury and a meniscus tear in his left knee against FEU.
Fina Ali (8), Joan Monares (7) and Bienne Bansil (7) led the way as captain Niña Ytang scored five points in UP’s third straight loss to drop to sixth place with a 3-4 record.
On the men’s side, Chris Hernandez scored 18 points as top-seeded La Salle (3-4) picked up its third straight victory over five-time champion NU (5-2), 19-25, 25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 15-10.
The Green Spikers held off the Blue Eagles for joint fourth place after an 0-4 start while Adamson (2-5) shrugged off a 35-point outburst by Nigerian ace spiker Olayemi Raheem to defeat UP (2-5), 25-21, 28-26, 22-25, 25-23, 15-. John Bryan Ulanday
