Rebuilding La Salle turns to new veterans in Super League bid

FILE–La Salle Lady Spikers. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — La Salle is banking on third-year spiker Shevana Laput, new main setter Julyana Tolentino, and other holdovers to lead the way for the rebuilding Lady Spikers in their 2024 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Collegiate Pre-season Championship campaign.

After losing key players last season including Alas Pilipinas players Thea Gagate and Julia Coronel, La Salle ushers in its new era and returns to the SSL after a year of absence in preparation for the UAAP Season 87 next year.

The Lady Spikers assistant coach Noel Orcullo expects maturity and leadership from Laput, who will lead the way with Alleiah Malaluan, Jyne Soreño, Amie Provido and team captain Angel Canino, while Tolentino will embrace the main setter role after Coronel’s departure.

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“For Shevana, since she’s now in her third year, we expect her to mature more in her game. We’ve already seen some progress, but every day in training, we hope she gains more exposure and confidence, especially from our trip to Taiwan, and applies it here,” said Orcullo, speaking on behalf of La Salle coach Ramil De Jesus.

“The same goes for Julyana—what we need from her is confidence and consistency in the game.”

Gagate, Leila Cruz, Coronel, and Maicah Larroza were the top four picks of the first-ever PVL Rookie Draft last July.

READ: Thea Gagate, Leila Cruz go 1-2 in PVL Rookie Draft

Despite losing key players and fielding a rebuilding line-up including five high school players, La Salle is still bringing a fruitful experience from a pocket tournament in Taiwan

“A lot has changed for us. Almost half of the team is gone, so we’re in a rebuilding phase,” Orcullo said. “As usual, after returning from Taiwan, we’re back to our regular training routine. We joined this competition to give our team exposure and build connections. We even had to include senior high school players because we have so few players.”

Amid playing through a retooled roster, Orcullo said the team’s goal is still to reach the top of the SSL, where they settled for a runner-up finish in the inaugural tournament in 2022 and ruled the National Invitationals last year.

“You join not just to participate, but to aim for the championship. No team’s goal is second place. Our target is to win,” said Orcullo. “If we reach that, then thank you. But for now, it’s about exposure, building team connections, and gelling since our team is new.”

La Salle is slated in Pool C with Letran College, Jose Rizal University, and the University of the Philippines, which will be the Lady Spikers’ first game on Saturday.