To cement their place as the winningest program in the modern UAAP era, the De La Salle University Lady Spikers knocked off the most decorated program in collegiate volleyball in the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws.
The Lady Spikers brought home their 11th UAAP title — their third consecutive championship — with a sweep in Game Two of the Finals, 26-24, 25-20, 26-24, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum
All 11 of La Salle’s UAAP titles came under head coach Ramil De Jesus. This is also the third time La Salle completed a three-peat in the UAAP.
“Well hindi ko na talaga binibilang ‘yun (championships),” said De Jesus “Basta ako ‘pag dumating ‘yung season kailangan mag-prepare. Hindi namin pinapalampas yung opportunity. ‘Pag dumating ang ganitong situation, kung dumating ‘yung opportunity na makuha nami, ‘di namin bibitawan. Ngayong nakuha namin yung Game 1, itong Game 2 sabi ko hindi na dapat umabot ito ng Game 3.”
Down 21-24 in the first set, La Salle’s championship resiliency shone. Starting with terrifc serving from captain Majoy Baron, La Salle buckled down and sought production from their seniors. Kianna Dy delivered, blocking FEU’s Celine Domingo to cap a 5-0 La Salle run to take the opening frame.
The Lady Spikers carried their momentum into the second set, with Dy converting a cross-court hit to give La Salle an 14-7 lead. The Lady Tams sued for a late comeback, trimming the La Salle lead down to three, 23-20, following a Gel Cayuna 1-2 play. But the Lady Spikers found their finisher again in Dy, who drilled a hit to set up Aduke Ogunsanya’s ace.
La Salle then displayed their championship-level, close-out instincts in the third set. The Lady Spikers raced to a 19-12 lead after being knotted at 11. FEU got their reprieve from a string of La Salle errors that brought them to within two, 22-20. But FEU coughed up their own errors to allow the Lady Spikers to come within a point of the title, 24-21. Jerrili Malabanan rose to the occasion, extending the set with a hit to force a deuce. Dy then pounded a hit off a blocker, which Tin Tiamzon followed with the title-clinching hit.
Dy, Majoy Baron, and Dawn Macandili have all exhausted their playing eligibility for La Salle. FEU bid farewell to captain Bernadeth Pons and libero Kyla Atienza.
Macandili was hailed Finals Most Valuable Player, notching 21 digs and eight excellent receptions in Game Two. Kianna Dy led all scorers with 19 markers.
Pons finished her collegiate career with a signature triple-double of 17 points, 16 digs, and 15 excellent receptions.
The Scores
DLSU (3) – Dy 19, Baron 10, Tiamzon 10, Ogunsanya 7, Luna 6, Cheng 3, Cobb 1, Saga 0, Macandili (L)
FEU (0) – Pons 17, Domingo 7, Guino-O 6, Malabanan 6, Villareal 4, Basas 2, Carandang 2, Cayuna 1, Negrtio 1, Atienza (L)
