Lady Spikers trounce Golden Tigresses to gain semis incentive

MANILA, Philippines — Advantage secured.

The La Salle Lady Spikers clinched the last twice-to-beat bonus in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball Final Four after outlasting the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses in four grueling sets, 23-25, 25-20, 30-28, 29-27, Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

La Salle punched in 20 block points to grab the crucial semis advantage compared to UST’s eight.

Angel Canino produced 24 points on 19 attacks, four blocks and a service ace. She also tallied 12 excellent receptions and 10 excellent digs. Shevana Laput chipped in 22 markers, while Alleiah Malaluan and Amie Provido had 11 and 10, respectively.

After dropping the first set, La Salle regained its bearings and dominated in the second frame.

Come the third, UST looked primed to take the two sets to one lead, going up 22-20.

But the Lady Spikers dug deep and clawed out of the hole, tying the third set at 25-all.

The extended set eventually went the way of the Taft-based volleybelles, as they broke the 28-all tie with back-to-back kills.

And in the fourth set, the Tigresses held a 22-17 edge.

But five straight points by La Salle, capped by a block by Amie Provido on Pia Abbu, tied things up.

A service error by Julyana Tolentino and an error by Laput pushed UST to the set point, 24-22, but Malaluan strung together consecutive points to tie things up, 24-all.

The extended set saw both teams take turns in front.

UST led by one, 27-26, after an attack error by Laput, but a Canino off-the-block attack, a La Salle block and a Laput kill iced the game.

“Siguro, pinakita lang ng mga bata yung puso na gusto nilang manalo, kaya siguro kaya ganoon yung naging resulta. Kasi sabi nga namin sa kanila, hindi pa tapos yung laban. Kaya pa nating dumikit,” La Salle deputy coach Noel Orcullo told reporters after the game.

“Sabi namin, hanggat hindi nagte-25 yan, wag kayong bibitaw, kapitan niyo. One point at a time. At yun, dumating nga, Inisa isa namin — at nakuha naman,” he added.

Angge Poyos powered UST with 24 points on 23 attacks and a block, to go with 13 digs and 12 receptions. Regina Jurado added 12 markers.

La Salle notched 58 points off attacks compared to UST’s 48. But the Lady Spikers committed 38 errors compared to the Tigresses’ 24.

Last season, it was UST who bagged the twice-to-beat advantage. La Salle’s win also snapped the season split between the two teams. 

The Tigresses and the Lady Spikers will again face each other in the semifinals set to start this weekend.