La Salle star Angel Canino. -UAAP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines —Shrugging off another show start against Adamson, Angel Canino managed to catch fire just in time to will La Salle back to clinch a twice-to-beat advantage in the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament.
Just like their first-round meeting with the Lady Falcons, Canino struggled to start the game as the Lady Spikers went down to a 1-2 match deficit but the rookie sensation still finished with a career-high 28 points in their 25-17, 25-27, 23-25, 25-23, 15-9 win on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.
“Just like what I did in our previous match (against them). I just told myself to forget what happened (in the previous sets) and focus on what’s in front of me,” said Canino in Filipino after scoring seven in the fifth set. “I can’t dwell on my mistakes in the past (sets) because it will just bring down my confidence. I just needed to make up for my mistakes.”
“When someone commits a mistake, we have to cover it right away and avoid adding more lapses. We just need to keep on scoring after committing an error,” she added.
La Salle Lady Spikers’ Thea Gagate. –UAAP PHOTO
The star outside spiker was not the only one who bucked a lethargic start as Thea Gagate also tallied her career-high 22 points including three blocks and Jolina Dela Cruz chipped in 21 points and 13 excellent receptions.
“We played too relaxed in the second set. Our character was tested but we showed in the end who we are and how we fight as a team,” Canino said.
La Salle sealed the twice-to-beat advantage, winning 11 of its 12 matches but Canino stressed that they still have to bring out their maximum potential in their final two matches of the elimination round.
“We will look forward to what we can still show as a team because every after the game we have to keep on improving and whatever lessons we got from this match, we have to apply it in our remaining games,” she said.
Canino and the Lady Spikers will face the also-ran Ateneo Blue Eagles on Sunday at MOA Arena before battling University of the East on April 29.
The Lady Spikers on pulling off a comeback against the gritty Adamson Lady Falcons. #UAAPSeason85 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/3BkNntQYvc
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) April 19, 2023