Written by Akari Sports Staff | Photo from The UAAP
La Salle moved on the cusp of jumping straight to the best-of-three Finals after clobbering also-ran University of the East, 25-20, 25-18, 25-15, to stay unbeaten at 13-0 Wednesday in the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion Arena.
The Lady Spikers were also able to insert substitutes Mikee Santos, Ella de Guzman, and Mikole Reyes, who all responded well in the straight-set victory.
La Salle will aim to complete its first elims sweep in 12 years against defending champion National University on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena. The Lady Spikers won their first-round encounter against the Lady Bulldogs, 25-21, 25-19, 19-25, 25-17, last March 15 at the same Pasay venue.
“Siguro, hindi naman mawawala yung pressure pagdating sa amin. Siyempre, nandoon yung pressure na kailangang manalo, pero lagi namang pinapaalala ni coach na score at number lang ’yan. Kailangan mag-focus pa rin sa kung ano yung nasa harapan mo, which is yung NU ngayon, at one game at a time lang. Sana, hopefully, maganda pa rin yung mapakita namin na game against NU,” La Salle assistant coach Gian de Jesus said.
Shevana Laput, who finished with 12 points on 10-of-20 kills, one block, and one ace, and collected four digs, wanted to see the Lady Spikers’ brand of play in a Finals rematch with the Lady Bulldogs, who are regaining form after encountering a rough patch in the post-Bella Belen era.
“That’s what the coaches are instilling in us—one game at a time. We don’t worry about this streak that we have and the 13-0; we worry about how we perform, and if we perform, of what we had done in training. Being disciplined in staying true to the system the coaches have taught us,” Laput said.
