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MANILA, Philippines – In a swag-off showdown for the ages, the La Salle Lady Spikers took Game 1 of the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball finals over the NU Lady Bulldogs, 18-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 15-13, at the jampacked Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, May 7.
La Salle can now complete a series sweep and win its 12th women’s volleyball championship in Game 2 on Sunday, May 14, at 4 pm at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Super rookie Angel Canino showed no jitters in her first seniors finals appearance, leading the vaunted Lady Spikers with 21 points off 19 attacks and 2 aces.
Thea Gagate backstopped the effort with 17 points off 12 attacks, 4 blocks, and 1 ace, while Justine Jazareno shored up the defense with 21 excellent digs for La Salle.
Alyssa Solomon exploded for 28 points in the losing effort off 24 attacks, 2 blocks, and 2 aces as reigning MVP Bella Belen added 22 points, 14 excellent receptions, and 12 excellent digs for the defending champion NU.
After four back-and-forth sets ending in a 2-2 deadlock, the Lady Spikers rose to a 10-6 fifth-set lead off a pivotal 4-0 run – 3 points coming off Lady Bulldogs attack errors.
Although NU would eventually close in at 9-10 and again at 12-13 off a Solomon kill, whatever remaining energy was sapped from the defending champions’ side as middle blocker Sheena Toring crumpled in a heap with an apparent left knee injury after accidentally stepping on Gagate’s right foot.
After Toring was stretchered off to the locker room and her net touch that would have given La Salle match point was reversed with a challenge, Canino nonetheless pushed the game to match point off a quick kill, 14-12.
Belen saved one point off her own kill, 13-14, but NU shot itself in the foot one last time as reserve middle blocker Minierva Maaya failed to get her quick attack over the net, mostly due to a low pass from graduating setter Joyme Cagande.
“We’re happy we got Game 1, and we at least worked hard for it,” said La Salle assistant coach Noel Orcullo in Filipino. “I guess the kids really wanted to win since we were down two sets to one, and they held on in the fourth set until the fifth.”
Meanwhile, the UST Tiger Spikers prevailed in the first game of the day over the FEU Tamaraws, 25-18, 25-22, 25-21, to arrange a men’s volleyball finals series against the undefeated NU Bulldogs.
Game 1 of the best-of-three men’s finals will be at the MOA Arena on Wednesday, May 10. – Rappler.com
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