DE LA SALLE exacted its sweet revenge to Ateneo as it bucked a first-set loss in pulling off a 19-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-16 in the deciding Game Three to bag its ninth crown in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 78 women’s volleyball tournament on Saturday at the jam-packed Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The Lady Spikers showed resilience after dropping the opening set and rode on the brilliance of finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) Kim Dy to give senior players a fitting ending in front of 22,848 screaming fans at the Big Dome.
It was La Salle’s ninth UAAP crown for third place overall behind University of Santo Tomas with 14 and Far Eastern University with 29.
The volleybelles from Taft Avenue never wavered when it mattered most as they displayed tremendous focus after blowing a 2-0 set lead in Game Two, as the Alyssa Valdez-led Lady Eagles tied the championship series with a an epic come-from-behind 18-25, 26-28, 25-17, 25-16, 15-11 five-set victory on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“Noong game namin sa Game Two, nakita namin kung ano ’yung problema, kaya sinabi ko kailangan natin matuto doon,” La Salle Head Coach Ramil de Jesus said.
Dy beat out her teammates Kim Fajardo, Ara Galang and Mika Reyes for the MVP trophy in the finals, but dedicated her award to the graduating players in the squad.
“Nag-enjoy kami. Iyon talaga ’yung winning formula, we enjoyed the game,” said Dy, who finished with 17 points on 16 kills and an ace. “This game dine-dedicate namin ‘to sa seniors. Thank you, seniors; we will miss you.”
Best Blocker Majoy Baron chipped in 11 markers on five blocks, three service aces and three attacks. Tournament Best Setter Fajardo paced the team with 51 excellent sets, including 11 digs and six points, while Best Digger and Best Receiver Dawn Macandili had 27 digs.
Reyes, Galang and Cyd Demecillo played their last UAAP game all with nine points each. Carol Cerveza and Mika Esperanza also played their final game as Lady Spikers.
Coming off a frustrating Game Two, the Lady Spikers seemed to have yet bucked all disappointments as they succumbed the opening set to the Lady Eagles-led three-time MVP Valdez.
But they caught fire in the second set and took a 16-10 lead. Ateneo, however, stormed back tying it to 17-all and reached 19-all. The Taft-based squad scored six of the last eight points to level the match at 1-1.
The momentum swung to the green side, which dominated the third set, 20-12, and never looked back to take a 2-1 lead.
La Salle made it sure that there will be no meltdown, as the Lady Spikers exploded the most in the fourth set and built a 16-5 margin and continued to sizzle, stretching it to 21-9 lead to dethrone Ateneo.
Valdez ended her UAAP career with 31 points, highlighted by 30 kills. Jhoana Maraguinot delivered 10 markers, while Jia Morado had 49 excellent sets and six points. Graduating Mae Tajima had two points, while Amy Ahomiro played her last game struggling with only a point.
Image credits: Roy Domingo