Defending champion National University came within a heartbeat of derailing De La Salle University’s bid for an elimination-round sweep in the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Women’s Volleyball Tournament—until a single, pivotal moment late in the fifth set put opposite spiker Arah Panique under the harshest spotlight of the match.
With NU clinging to life at 14-all in the deciding frame, the Lady Bulldogs initially appeared to have forced a reset after La Salle was called for a four-touch violation. But the Lady Spikers immediately challenged the ruling for a possible block touch. The video review instead uncovered an earlier infraction—Panique’s net fault on the second contact of the sequence tied to the original four-touch call.
First referee Jay Deriquito then upheld a referee’s challenge ruling, confirming the net violation and awarding the decisive point to La Salle. The decision sealed the Lady Spikers’ outright Finals berth, handed NU its fourth loss of Season 88, and officially denied the Lady Bulldogs a chance to halt La Salle’s sweep.
For Panique, the turning point came with immediate and heavy regret, as she reflected on what could have been a season-defining upset for NU.
“Yes po. Noong nangyari ‘yon, parang na-blame ko yung sarili ko kasi sayang nga talaga. Kaya naman namin maipanalo sana ‘yon. Sa isang pagkakamali nga lang… Sayang kasi nga nag-net touch talaga ako doon, pero hindi ko in-expect na mangyayari ‘yon kasi gigil din akong makuha yung point na ‘yon. Sayang talaga,” the 22-year-old opposite spiker told reporters.
“For me, complicated siya kasi referee yung nag-call, kaso nag-challenge yung La Salle. Hindi ko ma-identify if mali siya [na call] or tama. Wala na ako maisip kanina, gusto ko lang manalo kanina,” she added.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Despite the heartbreaking finish, Panique still found pride in NU’s stand against a La Salle squad that marched into its 22nd UAAP women’s volleyball Finals appearance.
NU had earlier surged ahead in the match, taking a 2-1 set lead behind the timely contributions of Vange Alinsug, Alexa Mata, and Sam Cantada. But La Salle’s championship poise eventually took over in the closing stretches, forcing a deciding fifth set.
Panique herself battled through adversity, playing through cramps she began feeling in the fourth set before finishing with 19 points on 15 attacks and four blocks, along with six excellent digs, in front of 19,419 fans at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
“Siguro proud ako sa mga kasama ko kasi sa training pa lang, pinaghihirapan na namin yung bawat galaw namin, bawat kilos na kailangan naming gawin against them. Grabe rin yung pag-aral namin sa kanila sa galawan nila. Isang opportunity na makaabot kami ng fifth set tapos linaban namin,” the Naga College Foundation product reflected.
“Nung fourth set, medyo nafe-feel ko na yung both ko na legs na parang naninigas na. After kong mag-serve noon, pagbantay ko, doon ko na siya naramdaman na umangat. Tapos pagpalo ko, mas lalong lumala… Tinatry kong bumalik para makatulong din ako sa team kasi alam naman namin na kaya namin ‘eh. Sabi ko, kailangan ko talaga i-push, tapos sa fifth set, yung iniisip ko na lang ay it’s all in the mind yung cramps ko. Gusto ko kasi makuha yung panalo ngayon,” she went on.
Looking ahead, Panique and the Lady Bulldogs shift their focus to a crucial showdown against the University of Santo Tomas on Wednesday, April 22, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum. A win would secure NU the second seed and a valuable bye in the stepladder semifinals.
“Sobrang eager talaga kasi kayang-kaya namin na mag-dominate at iwasan yung mga unforced errors namin. Magsisimula lahat ‘yon sa training namin,” Panique said.
“Siguro paghuhugutan namin yung pagkatalo ngayon, lalo na’t wala na kaming twice-to-beat. Sa stepladder, kailangan naming maipanalo lahat para hindi na kami mahirapan ulit.”
