La Salle Lady Spikers. UAAP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines-La Salle made short work of Far Eastern University, 25-16, 25-18, 25-21, to keep its unbeaten slate going on Saturday in the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament at the Philsports Arena.
Thea Gagate again starred for the Lady Spikers and finished with 13 points along with rookie Angel Canino while Marionne Alba delivered 19 excellent sets in La Salle’s fifth straight victory.
“We actually didn’t expect that the game will end in straight sets. Their (Lady Tamaraws) confidence is high coming into this game after that five-set win over Ateneo,” said La Salle coach Noel Orcullo.
FEU briefly seized the upperhand early in the first set, but the celebration died out easily as errors hounded the Lady Tamaraws with the raiding pair of Canino and Jolina Dela Cruz even adding to their misery.
“This win elevates our confidence as a team. Defensive-wise, we improved a lot,” said Canino.
After Baby Jyne Soreno closed out the opening frame with a crosscourt attack, the Lady Spikers progressed to an eight-point lead right away in the second set.
There were fidgety moments for La Salle when Cherie Tagaod and Alyzza Devosora conspired to pull the Lady Tamaraws within 14-12, before Dela Cruz, Fifi Sharma and Canino again put order on the Lady Spikers’ turf.
Gagate’s heroics widened the gap again with a pair of devastating spikes and Alleiah Malaluan’s strike off the block capped the second frame in La Salle’s favor.
The Lady Tamaraws made a concerted effort not to provide a quick win for the Lady Spikers, keeping it tight almost throughout the third set.
Then Gagate happened as the 6-foot-2 middle blocker rattled off the crucial points at the net, her push making it 24-21 and Tagaod’s attempt hitting the antennae in the final play.
The Lady Tamaraws fell to 2-3 with some flashes of brilliance coming from Ann Roselle Asis and Jovelyn Fernandez in the final set. Tagaod finished with 10 points and Devosora added nine markers.