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LIVE: UAAP Season 88 volleyball Finals Game 1: FEU vs NU, La Salle vs NU
Angel Canino and the La Salle Lady Spikers during a game against NU Lady Bulldogs in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament Finals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — The La Salle Lady Spikers moved one step closer to a title redemption and a perfect campaign in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament.
The unbeaten Lady Spikers needed to shrug off some struggles early, but still proved too much for the National University Lady Bulldogs, sweeping Finals Game 1, 25-23, 25-18, 25-18 n Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.
After trailing 14-15 in the third set, La Salle scored nine straight points behind the trio of Angel Canino, Shane Reterta, and Amie Provido to cruise to a 23-15 lead.
Chamy Maaya halted the run, but Reterta won a joust to bring La Salle to match point, 24-16. Eshana Nunag then missed her serve, and although Arah Panique tried to extend the match, her attack went out as NU’s final challenge was unsuccessful.
La Salle, which got swept by NU last year, goes for a season sweep and title No.13 on Saturday in Game 2.
Coming off a 17-day layoff after a 14-game elimination sweep, La Salle showed signs of rust early as NU built a 19-14 lead behind the duo of Vange Alinsug and Panique.
La Salle Lady Spikers’ Shane Reterta during a game against NU Lady Bulldogs in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament Finals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Reterta sparked a 6-0 rally to give the Lady Spikers a 20-19 edge, but the Lady Bulldogs forced three ties—the last at 22 after an Alinsug drop shot. Canino’s crosscourt kill, followed by Sam Cantada’s attack error, set up La Salle at 24-22. Panique saved a point, but Amie Provido closed out the first set with a quick attack.
La Salle brought the momentum into the second and led as many as 22-16 from Laput’s backrow kill before Canino scored back-to-back to take a commanding 2-0 set lead.
Canino powered the Lady Spikers with 17 points on a 15-of-34 attacking clip laced with nine digs and five excellent receptions.
Reterta also delivered the goods with 11 points, 23 receptions, and nine digs.
Provido finished with 12 points, highlighted by four kill blocks, as captain Shevana Laput finished with 11 points despite her struggle with a 10-of-33 spiking clip.
Panique carried NU with 18 points. Alinsug backstopped her with 12, as top rookie Cantada struggled in her Finals debut with two points on a 1-of-18 attacking clip.
NU dropped a Finals Game 1 for the first time since Season 85, when it lost the championship to a Canino-led La Salle squad.
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The Lady Bulldogs now look to keep their three-peat bid alive and force a decider—something that hasn’t happened since the Season 81 Finals between Ateneo and UST in 2019.
