DLSU sweeps women’s volleyball

Beats NU Lady Bulldogs in thrilling five sets

Games on Wednesday

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
9 a.m. – FEU vs Ateneo (Men)
11 a.m. – NU vs UST (Men)
1 p.m. – FEU vs Ateneo (Women)
3 p.m. – NU vs UST (Women)

DE LA SALLE University (DLSU) essayed a 27-25, 15-25, 23-25, 25-23, 15-13 come-from-behind win over reigning champion National University (NU) and sealed an outright finals berth with a 14-0 sweep in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball before more than 16,000 fans on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The DLSU Lady Spikers erased a 21-23 deficit in the fourth set then just proved to be the steadier squad down the stretch with a 2-0 finishing kick for a two-round wipeout to enter the best-of-three finals right away for the first time since 2014. Overall, it’s La Salle’s 22^nd finals appearance as one of the country’s most successful volleyball programs, thus triggering a stepladder Final Four for the rest of the squads.

On the verge of match point after a Shevana Laput hit, La Salle was whistled with four touches for a possible deuce only to call a challenge that revealed a net touch by Arah Panique first for NU, leading to an anti-climactic but still massive victory to shore up its revenge tour after a runner-up finish last season.

Shane Reterta rose to the occasion when it mattered most for the DLSU Lady Spikers, exploding for a career-best 21 points to backstop leaders Ms. Laput and Angel Canino with 16 and 15 points, respectively.

Amie Provido also provided 15 points on 10 hits and five blocks as the Lady Spikers scored the UAAP’s first elims sweep since the NU Lady Bulldogs’ 16-0 feat in 2022, then led by Rookie-MVP and now PVL star Bella Belen who watched at the sidelines to cheer for her former squad but to no avail.

La Salle and NU had met thrice in the finale of the last four seasons, living up to its billing as modern rivals ignited by the Lady Spikers’ 27-25 escape act in the first set to get things going.

The Lady Bulldogs, as expected, would bite back and own the next two sets to move on the cusp of a spoiler only to run out of steam down the wire. Back-to-back La Salle errors gave NU a 23-21 lead but Mses. Canino and Laput willed back La Salle with a 4-0 finisher to force a decider.

Both teams traded haymakers until a 13-all tally before Ms. Laput hammered out a down-the-line hit then destiny just smiled on the Lady Spikers with a lucky challenge call for the cherry on top.

Skipper Vange Alinsug (22), Ms. Panique (15) and super rookie Sam Cantada (14) led NU’s valiant effort that fell just short to settle for a sure second-seed finish with a 9-4 slate in the stepladder semifinals entering its last assignment against first-game winner Santo Tomas (8-5).

UST vs UP
University of Santo Tomas (UST) secured at least a playoff for the remaining Final Four spot in the UAAP Season 88 collegiate women’s volleyball tournament after a gritty 23-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-19 win over also-ran University of the Philippines (UP) on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

The UST Golden Tigresses improved to an 8-5 record, staying one game ahead of the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws at 7-6 heading into the final play date of the elimination round.

This sets up a crucial showdown for UST against National University on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, where a win would secure a Final Four berth without complications. FEU, meanwhile, will also face Ateneo de Manila University on the same day.

Lianne Penuliar, Angge Poyos, and Regina Jurado carried the Golden Tigresses down the stretch, powering a decisive 19-12 cushion en route to the win in two hours and seven minutes. — John Bryan Ulanday