FILE – La Salle Lady Spikers
MANILA, Philippines–La Salle went out brandishing its A-game against an Ateneo side that woke up in the wrong side of the bed to score a lopsided 25-17, 25-13, 25-23 triumph Saturday and make the Final Four of the UAAP women’s volleyball at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
What was expected to be a tough fight between the fiercest rivals in league history turned out to be a glaring mismatch as the Lady Spikers handily duplicated their first-round victory over the Lady Eagles.
Ateneo, which has won 10 games in between losing to La Salle, could only make three attacks in second set as the fearsome league leader was reduced to a fumbling, disjointed unit before 16,000 spectators at the Big Dome.
But it was the first frame that set the tone for the massacre when La Salle drubbed Ateneo from the serving area, 4-1, and had two kill-blocks against Ateneo which ironically was the best blocking team in the league.
Though Ateneo slipped to 10-2, it remains in the hunt for a twice-to-beat incentive, only needing to win at least one of the two remaining matches (against eliminated teams Adamson and University of the East).
It was La Salle’s fourth successive victory which, happening this late in the season, sends across a chilling message from the three-time defending champion. The Lady Spikers at now at 9-3.
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