La Salle crushes UE, remains unbeaten

Returning Shevana Laput picked up from where she left off to help De La Salle University remain unbeaten in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament.

Back after a two-game absence due to an illness, the fourth year skipper scored nine points in the Lady Spikers’ cakewalk over winless University of the East (UE), 25-15, 25-20, 25-19, for their fifth straight win Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

La Salle collected its fourth straight set win of the season as it maintained its dominating run heading into the last two games of the first round.

Laput hammered eight of her production from attacks and added four digs while providing stability inside the court for the Taft-based squad, which will face Adamson University on Wednesday before the much-anticipated finals rematch with three-peat-seeking National University on 15 March.

Angel Canino paced La Salle with 12 points coming off 10 kills and two kill blocks while tallying eight digs and six excellent receptions. Lilay del Castillo added 10 points and Amie Provido had eight markers.

La Salle outclassed UE with a 45-27 advantage in attacks brought about by setter Eshana Nunag’s superb playmaking of 21 excellent sets and a 9-2 lead in kill blocks.

However, the Lady Spikes coaching staff still expressed concerns on some aspects of their game.

“We reminded the team to always respect your opponents. We’re not satisfied with the outcome, although we won. We committed many errors, especially in our services. So, we really need to address that,” La Salle assistant coach Noel Orcullo said about the team’s 20 errors, including nine in the second set.

The Red Warriors kept the game close early in the third frame, knotting the score at 14-all.

La Salle responded with a 7-2 run on the combined efforts of Canino, Ella de Guzman, and Laput to put the match out of reach and seal the victory in one hour and 21 minutes.

UE suffered a sixth straight defeat in as many starts.

Khy Cepada finished with 13 points and Bea Zamudio had nine for the Lady Warriors, who dropped 20 straight games since a winless Season 87 campaign.

In men’s play, University of Santo Tomas cruised past Adamson University, 25-16, 25-20, 25-22, to secure its fourth consecutive win in five outings.

Josh Ybañez pumped in 15 points on 12 attacks and two aces, alongside 13 excellent receptions to lead the Espana-based squad.

JJ Macam provided strong support with 12 points on nine attacks and three aces, complemented by 11 excellent receptions and three excellent digs as the Golden Spikers tied idle six-peat-seeking National University with a 4-1 slate in second spot behind unbeaten Far Eastern University (5-0).

The Falcons absorbed a fourth straight loss for a 1-4 mark.

On the other hand, La Salle unleashed its frustrations on UE, 27-25, 25-23, 17-25, 25-17, to secure a breakthrough win after five tries.

The Red Warriors slipped to the cellar with a 1-5 record.