Written by Akari Sports Staff | Photo from The UAAP
LA SALLE is not only seeking to deny National University’s three-peat bid in the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament, but also to exorcise the ghost of its Finals heartbreaker 12 years ago.
Meeting for the fourth time in the last five seasons, the Lady Spikers, coming off a two-week break, hope to sustain their perfect 14-match run against the Lady Bulldogs, who are eyeing to extend their dynastic rule.
Overwhelming favorites in 2014 after finishing the double-round eliminations undefeated, La Salle was poised for a four-peat armed with a thrice-to-beat incentive, an old league rule, but Ateneo made the improbable possible by achieving a breakthrough under first-year coach Tai Bundit and phenom Alyssa Valdez.
Coach Ramil de Jesus’ long-time assistant Noel Orcullo is in no mood to bring in war flashbacks when the 12-time champions face NU in the 5 p.m. opener Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“Siguro yung nightmare namin nung Season 76, talagang ayaw na naming maulit. Siguro itong nangyari ngayon na nag-waiting kami for championship, siguro talagang pagtatrabahuhan namin nang husto. Kumbaga, ‘yung pokus talaga hindi namin aalisin, kung ano ‘yung inumpisahan namin, kung ano ‘yung goal namin doon kami. Hindi kami bibitaw bawat isa kung ano ‘yung goal ng coach, goal ng players doon kami. Kung paano namin binuo ito, kung paano namin inumpisahan, ganon din namin tatapusin,” Orcullo said.
The difference now is the Lady Spikers were only rewarded with an outright berth in the league’s biggest stage, as the Finals is a best-of-three series, with no additional incentive, unlike the thrice-to-beat bonus in the past.
Angel Canino, who was the Rookie-MVP when La Salle won its most recent championship in 2023, knows that everyone must be on the same page, follow the game plan, and immediately respond with in-match adjustments.
“In terms of character din talaga, yung kumpyansa siguro ng mga bata na di namin kailangan hingin sakanila, na willing talaga nila ibigay lahat, kasi nandito sila sa team and knowing as seniors na gusto din nilang magcontribute at may kumpyansa sila sa sarili, ano na kami, may kumpyansa na kami na kayang lumaban and siguro talaga mapapagkatiwalaan yung bawa’t isa ngayong season na ‘to and yung hinihingi ni coach na puso na pagiging fighter, I think na-instill ni coach yun sa mga bata. Kaya yun yung malaking pagbabago talaga this season,” Canino said.
NU finished No. 2 in the eliminations, needing to beat the University of Santo Tomas in the last day of eliminations to avoid a longer route to reaching the Finals. The Lady Bulldogs then defeated the Tigresses in the second step-ladder stage to face the Lady Spikers again in the championship.
NU came close to dealing La Salle its first loss and forcing a Final Four, but an Arah Panique net violation spelled doom in the Lady Bulldogs’ 25-27, 25-15, 25-23, 23-25, 13-15 loss last April 19.
Game 2 is at 5 p.m. on Saturday at the same Pasay venue. Game 3, if necessary, is on May 13 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
