Killer form returning

Desiree Cheng puts some “fangs” in this kill as she rises to score past UP’s Maristela Layug (left) and Rose Cailing. —SHERWIN VARDELEON

La Salle’s killer instinct is slowly getting into deadly sharpness, mercilessly striking down a fumbling University of the Philippines, 25-15, 25-19, 25-19, Wednesday to claim the solo lead in the UAAP women’s volleyball at Filoil Flying V Centre.

The win was the Lady Spikers’ third straight dominating victory—with top rival Ateneo and heavyweight National University among those strewn in its wake—as they inched closer to the Final Four.

La Salle’s Desiree Cheng typified that take-no-prisoner assault with 14 points, including four aces.

“That (killer instinct) is a big part of the game plan for us. Kelangan namin ng pangil sa palo (we need to have fangs in our spikes),” said Cheng, who also got ample help from Kim Kiana Dy (12 points).

Far Eastern University leaned on Bernadeth Pons to blast University of Santo Tomas in the second match, 25-21, 25-21, 25-23.

Pons scored 15 points for the Lady Tamaraws, who hammered out a bounce-back win from a loss to Ateneo to bolster their morale and confidence in time for their looming match against La Salle.

“We still have a lot to fix, and our lapses today we will try to correct in training,” said Pons in Filipino, after helping FEU score its sixth win in nine games.

The Tigresses suffered their third straight loss for a 2-7 card.

La Salle pounded UP with 15 aces that didn’t only translate into points but also effectively destroyed the scoring platform for the Lady Maroons, who failed to get decent first balls from gunners Diana Carlos and Isa Molde.

Still, Carlos was able to collect 16 points, and Molde 10 for UP, which slumped to 3-6.

“The coaches told us that here we need to develop the confidence we would need going into the coming game,” said Cheng. “Everything is about how we were motivated by the coaches and teammates and hard work in training.”

The Lady Maroons grabbed a 9-5 lead in the third set but their momentum fizzled out as they fell into a rash of errors, committing a total of 21 (against La Salle’s 17).