Lilay Del Castillo came within a block of making history in the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Women’s Volleyball Tournament, but the De La Salle University middle blocker brushed off the milestone as just another day at the office.
In La Salle’s commanding win over Ateneo de Manila University, Del Castillo delivered a defensive masterclass, proving once again why she is a cornerstone of the Lady Spikers’ lineup.
The third-year standout tallied eight blocks against the Blue Eagles — just one shy of the legendary mark set by Lady Spiker alumna Celine Hernandez in Season 70 against Adamson.
She didn’t stop there, anchoring La Salle’s 18-point effort with seven spikes and three service aces.
For Del Castillo, her performance at the SMART Araneta Coliseum on Sunday was not about personal glory. Instead, it was about fulfilling her role for the team she aims to lead.
“Siguro po, ano, being proud is an understatement,” she said. “Kasi ewan ko po, hindi po kasi ako masyadong ma-acknowledge sa mga ginagawa ko, e, kasi ang lagi kong iniisip: dapat lang. Dapat ganun yung performance ko, dapat ganun yung contribution ko kasi part na ako ng core ng team. Hindi ako yung isa sa mga tao na dapat nagpapabuhat pa.
“I believe ako na yung part sa team na kaya bumuhat, so parang ginawa akong ganun ng mga coaches, trinain ako ng ganun ng mga ates. Parang this time around, ito na yung floor ko — ito na yung floor ko makatulong sa kanila. Kung gaano man kalaki yung goal namin, ako, I believe na makakatulong din. More of ganun talaga dapat. The standard is always there.”
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Del Castillo’s dominance not only helped La Salle extend its perfect 4–0 start in Season 88, but also pushed the Lady Spikers’ winning streak over Ateneo to 16 consecutive games.
Even so, she remains grounded, aware that the season is far from over. She views the match as a mental anchor — a reminder of her capabilities when self-doubt creeps in.
“It’s something na mababaon ko sa sarili ko kasi I’ve been looking for mga panghahawakan, kasi hindi naman kami nag-pre-season,” she said. “Yun yung, I think, biggest challenge namin: wala kaming panghahawakan na ‘nagawa ko na ‘to’ o ‘kaya ko na ‘to.’
“Every time na nanghihina ako o di ko siya kayang gawin, ito yung something na panghahawakan ko, especially yung sa training namin. Sobrang hirap ng pinagdadaanan namin, yung trainings, yung ensayo namin kada game.”
Despite the tough preparations, Del Castillo deflected the spotlight from herself. She credited the team’s disciplined system for allowing her to shine at the net, emphasizing that individual records are secondary to the chemistry she shares with her teammates.
“Feel ko hindi ko lang yun naman i-ke-credit sa akin,” said the 21-year-old blocker from Caloocan. “Credit din siya sa wing spikers namin kasi hindi naman ako makaka-block kung hindi sila nakakatapat nang maayos, if hindi sila nakakabilang. I feel like for them din yung eight blocks na yun. Hindi ko yun magagawa without their support, at siyempre yung tiwala nila na ibigay sa akin lahat ng bola.
“Sequence kasi siya from receive, from dig pass, from set ni Shan-Shan (Nunag), tapos yung trust binigay sa akin. It’s a team effort talaga. Grateful din ako kasi binigyan ako ng opportunity makapag-perform nang ganun. Grinab ko lang yun kasi pinaghihirapan namin sa training. Yung mga coaches matiyaga sa amin, so effort na lang din ipakita.”
#WATCH: HUMBLE LILAY 🏹
Despite notching 8 blocks, Lilay Del Castillo deflects the credit to her outing to the entire DLSU Lady Spikers 🏐#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/9v2Co6HEoU
📹 @lorenzodelc /Tiebreaker Times#UAAPSeason88 pic.twitter.com/d4gNKXkQnS
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) March 1, 2026
