DLSU setter Kim Fajardo. TRISTAN TAMAYO/INQUIRER.net
De La Salle University’s bid for title retention is off to a fresh start, but its leaders know there is still a lot of work ahead if the team wants to emulate the magic they produced in 2016.
“Actually we’re still trying to build our character, because some players still have to know their roles in the team,” said head coach Ramil De Jesus Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
READ: La Salle scores tough 3-set win over FEU
The Lady Spikers outlasted the Lady Tamaraws, their Final Four opponents a season ago, in three sets, 29-27, 25-22, 25-23, to start things off in Season 79.
Though La Salle escaped with the win, the numbers are out of the ordinary for the defending champions.
La Salle committed 30 errors, eight less than FEU, while FEU had a 7-4 edge in service aces.
READ: UAAP: La Salle begins baseball title defense with rout of UP
Team captain Kim Fajardo admitted the current Lady Spikers are still a work in progress especially after the departure of Ara Galang and Mika Reyes due to graduation.
Galang and Reyes were just two of the team’s vocal and spiritual leaders and two anchored the offense and defense of the defending champions.
“There’s still a long way to go, this is the first game and we just came back and there were rookies who are first-timers in the UAAP,” said Fajardo. “We’ll get there, it’s a long season.”