Angel soars; La Salle nears top spot

La Salle's Angel Canino scores against UST's Imee Hernandez during the Shakey's Super League at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, October 30, 2022. Photo by Rio Deluvio
Rookie Angel Canino dropped 25 points to tow the unbeaten De La Salle University closer to clinching the top seed in the quarterfinals after beating University of Santo Tomas, 22-25, 27-25, 25-16, 25-21, in the second round of the Shakey's Super League Collegiate Pre-Season Championship Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The Lady Spikers turned to the 19-year-old winger at crunch time as La Salle hiked its Pool F carryover win-loss record to 2-0.
"She's very consistent. What she does in practice she's showing it in the game," La Salle coach Noel Orcullo said.
The former University Athletic Association of the Philippines high school Most Valuable Player hammered down 19 kills including the hit that put the Lady Spikers at match point.
She added four aces and two kill blocks.
"This is a huge boost for us as a team because we defeated a rival in the UAAP," Canino said.
Canino played clutch in the closing stretch of the second set, hitting a kill that put the Lady Spikers at set point, 24-23. After the Tigresses forced a deuce, Canino again gave La Salle the advantage with another spike.
UST tied it again but after Cassandra Carballo overshoots her serve Canino smashed a back row hit to close the frame and tie the match.
From there the Lady Spikers turned the tables around to hand the Tigresses their first defeat in the tournament after winning four straight.
Veteran Jolina Dela Cruz added 11 markers while Thea Gagate had nine for La Salle, which will take on Adamson University on 5 November in the resumption of the postponed match last Saturday.
UST played sans veteran Eya Laure as the Tigresses dropped to a 1-1 carryover card.
