Redemption gained for La Salle, Laput

For De La Salle University and Shevana Laput, their playoff win over University of Santo Tomas (UST) was more than just a step toward the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 women’s volleyball finals — it was a mission of redemption fulfilled.

The Lady Spikers’ 23-25, 25-20, 30-28, 29-27 thriller of a victory over the Growling Tigresses on Wednesday not only secured them the coveted No. 2 seed but also avenged a series of painful defeats over the past six years.

The win was especially meaningful for Laput, who turned in a commanding performance of 22 points, including 19 attacks, in their dramatic win over the Tigresses.

“This win was especially for the people who were in the lineup last season. We rewrote our story,” Laput said after La Salle claimed the twice-to-beat advantage over UST.

“We’ve moved on and chose not to dwell on what has happened. We chose to focus on what can happen and the opportunities coming our way.”

La Salle’s 10-year streak of UAAP Finals appearances came to a halt in Season 81, ironically also at the hands of the Tigresses. But the more immediate sting came last year, when the Season 85 champions Lady Spikers were ousted by the same team in the semifinals.

Laput, however, wasn’t about to let history repeat itself.

“With this new team, we know that we can go all the way to the end. This is just a confidence-booster. This shows that we are capable,” she said.

La Salle’s season-best 20 blocks underscored their defensive dominance, a testament to the team’s resilience and growth since last year’s disappointment.

“We’ve stopped just waiting. We’re taking the win because we know that we deserve it. We earned it,” Laput added with conviction.

The Lady Spikers now brace for a high-stakes Final Four rematch against UST on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with their eyes set firmly on reclaiming their place in the championship round.