La Salle’s Thea Gagate celebrates during a game against UE in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines–For the second straight game, La Salle showed up without its prolific hitter and luckily won by the skin of its teeth.
The Lady Spikers found themselves in dire straits once more sans Angel Canino and scraped past University of the East, 25-23, 21-25, 25-17, 22-25, 15-12, in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament on Tuesday night.
“It was a bad win. Although we won, it didn’t look good for us. I guess we are really being tested,” said La Salle assistant coach Noel Orcullo. They also narrowly escaped tailender University of the Philippines in four sets last time out.
SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 86 volleyball second round
Though the defending champions weren’t really happy about it, the Lady Spikers moved up in a share of the lead with the University of Santo Tomas Tigresses with just a single defeat in 10 games.
Middle blockers Thea Gagate and Shevana Laput did most of the heavy lifting with Gagate delivering 22 points built around 17 attacks apart from three blocks and two aces.
Laput also had 17 attacks after compiling 21 points on top of three blocks while Julia Coronel fueled their offense with 22 excellent sets and two aces.
“Of course with Angel gone, we have to step up. Gradually, we’re doing that and this is not our peak yet. We’re still working on ourselves,” said Laput.
Canino missed floor time anew as last season’s rookie-MVP is on her way to recovery after figuring in an accident during the lenten break with cuts in her arms.
READ: Angel Canino’s mother dispels rumors surrounding daughter’s injury
KC Cepada worked wonders for the Lady Warriors, giving them another offensive option aside from rookie Casiey Dongallo by pumping in 23 points on 19 kills apart from six digs and two aces.
Dongallo was likewise on attack mode throughout, finishing with 23 points and had five aces and three blocks for the Lady Warriors, who fell in a tie with the Adamson Lady Falcons at 2-8.
La Salle woke up from deep slumber in the first set after trailing 21-15 by fiercely chasing down the Lady Warriors.
Thea Gagate and Jyne Soreno pushed them closer and with the aid of two attack errors courtesy of Kayce Balingit and KC Cepada, the Lady Spikers finally equalized following a 6-0 run.
Malaluan’s push and another UE net fault gave them enough room to breathe prior to a perfect toss by Coronel to an attacking Laput rewarded the set for La Salle.
The Lady Spikers were again in pursuit mode in the second set, but this time failed to catch up after falling into a maze of errors at a time they badly didn’t need them.
Laput and Julyana Tolentino alternated with an attack error each aside from Laput’s service miscue at the height of their rally to turn the tide.
On the other end, the Lady Warriors readily cashed in with Cepada attacking at will and Dongallo ending the set with back-to-back aces.
The Lady Spikers reversed the trend in the third set when they bolted out of the gates and built a seven-point cushion on Malaluan’s forays.
Soreno and Gagate contributed hits of their own before Laput’s two successive strikes put them ahead entering the fourth set.
With La Salle moving up, nobody expected the Lady Warriors to storm back and force a five-setter.
Riza Nogales drove one through the block and deflected an attack on the ensuing play for a 20-15 advantage.
Cepada then joined the fray by unloading a variety of hits in mocking the Lady Spikers’ defense before Dongallo punched a strike through the block at set point.
The Lady Warriors came back charging after La Salle gained the upper hand early, 7-2, in the deciding set and nearly turned it around on a Dongallo assault.
Amie Provido and Laput then put order on their side of the floor and the Lady Spikers tightened their defense to pull away for good.
Laput blocked the last of Cepada’s attacks and Gagate’s hit rolled on the net before trickling in at match point.