De La Salle University survived an early test, beating University of the Philippines, 25-14, 18-25, 26-24, 25-12, to announce its return to the 2024 Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship on Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The Lady Spikers, back after skipping last year’s edition, relied on seniors Angel Canino and Shevana Laput to repel the gritty Fighting Maroons, opening their Pool C campaign on a positive note.
UP challenged La Salle in the second and third sets, but the 2023 National Invitationals champion regained its momentum in the fourth set with Canino and Laput leading the charge.
The Lady Spikers launched a massive 14-2 blitz in the fourth set, establishing an 11-point lead at 16-5 that sapped the Fighting Maroons’ resolve in this thrilling encounter, part of the centerpiece SSL tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, GCash, Chery Tiggo, F2 Logistics, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner, R and B Milk Tea, and Summit Water.
Laput scored seven of her 18 points in the fourth frame, including the game-sealing crosscourt kill, while Canino contributed 16 points, with 14 coming off attacks for La Salle.
(C) SSL
“For the team, it was really just sticking to our system, listening to what the coaches were telling us, but most importantly, playing with pride and puso,” said Laput, the 2023 National Invitationals Most Valuable Player, after La Salle weathered UP’s challenge.
Amie Provido added 10 points, while Katrina Del Castillo chipped in eight for the Lady Spikers.
After splitting the first two sets, La Salle controlled the third set and even held a 23-18 lead. However, the Fighting Maroons rallied with four straight points to tie the set at 23.
A UP error gave La Salle the set point advantage, but Irah Jaboneta quickly responded with a hit for a 24-24 deuce. Laput then delivered a decisive crosscourt kill, and Provido clinched the set for La Salle with a kill block on Kassandra Doering.
(C) SSL
Rookie Kianne Olango scored 12 points, with half of them coming during the Fighting Maroons’ second set surge. Doering finished with seven points, while Jaboneta and Nina Ytang added six for UP.
