Lady Spikers clinch twice-to-beat advantage, eliminate Lady Falcons

For the 10th straight year, the De La Salle University Lady Spikers will enter the Final Four with a twice-to-beat advantage after putting an end to the Adamson University Lady Falcons’ season, 25-21, 25-15, 22-25, 25-18, at the FilOil Flying V Centre.

La Salle raced to an early 13-6 lead thanks to a sluggish Adamson opening effort in the first set. Adamson clawed back, coming within one, 16-15, before the Lady Spikers put on the finishing touches. Adamson’s errors allowed the Lady Spikers to gain a 21-17 lead. With the Lady Falcons threatening to come back, 23-21, Des Cheng slammed a hit past two blockers, before May Roque fired her hit straight into the net to give La Salle a 1-0 set lead.

After leading 8-6 in the second set, the Lady Falcons collapsed. A slew of errors and bad passes cost Adamson, allowing the Lady Spikers to coast to a 16-10 cushion. Unlike the first set, Adamson failed to muster a comeback. The Lady Spikers faced no resistance, racing to a 23-14 lead and never looking back.

Slotting in Chiara Permentilla for the first time in four matches, the Lady Falcons gained a massive morale boost. Facing a 10-18 deficit, the Lady Spikers slowly clambered back, trimming Adamson’s lead to one, 20-21, after another run of Adamson errors and poor passing. Adamson, however, finally closed a set out. With help from two La Salle errors, the Lady Falcons’ veterans provided a late push to extend the match.

The fourth set saw a steady back-and-forth. After grabbing a 15-12 lead, the Lady Spikers suffered through a spell of errors that gave Adamson a short-lived 16-15 lead. From there, La Salle went on a 7-1 run highlighted by aces to put the result out of doubt.

Kianna Dy finished with 17 points. Majoy Baron added 13 for the Lady Spikers, who won their seventh straight match.

“Ngayon ang nasa isip lang namin is ‘yung next game namin. Hindi namin pinangungunahan ‘yung mga nasa harap namin,” said La Salle head coach Ramil De Jesus.

“Tapusin muna namin ‘yung laban namin sa elimination bago namin isipin ‘yung Final Four,” the decorated tactician pointed out.

Former Lady Spiker Eli Soyud topped the Lady Falcons with 17 markers.

La Salle (11-2) will end their elimination round campaign on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena against perennial rivals Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles (9-4).

Adamson (5-8) cap their season on Saturday at the Blue Eagle Gym against the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses (4-9). Jema Galanza, Mylene Paat, Fhen Emnas, and Jellie Tempiatura will all be playing their final UAAP match on Saturday.

The Scores

DLSU (3) – Dy 17, Cheng 13, Baron 11, Luna 9, Cobb 6, Tiamzon 5, Ogunsanya 4, Ipac 1, Saga 0, Macandili (L)

AdU (1) – Soyud 17, Galanza 12, Dacoron 7, Permentilla 4, Paat 2, Roque 2, Emnas 1, Flora 0, Uy 0, Ponce (L)