Perfect Nine: La Salle escapes UST, preserves clean slate

Games on Saturday:

(UST Quadricentennial Pavilion)

9 a.m. — Adamson vs UE (m)

11 a.m. — Adamson vs UE (w)

1 p.m. — NU vs Ateneo (m)

3 p.m. — NU vs Ateneo (w)

De La Salle University head coach Ramil de Jesus was all smiles, not just because of his team preserving its unbeaten record after nine starts, but more with the way his wards responded to the challenge posed by gritty University of Santo Tomas (UST).

Showing maturity and resolve, the Lady Spikers came back from eight points down to steal the third set before controlling the fourth frame early for a 25-12, 18-25, 25-23, 25-14, triumph in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament on Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Meanwhile, Adamson University boosted its semifinals hopes after making quick work of Ateneo de Manila University, 25-17, 27-25, 25-16, in the second game.

Save for a second-set scare, the Lady Falcons dominated the match behind the all-around performance of Shaina Nitura.

Nitura finished with 25 points on 19 kills, four kill blocks and two aces while adding 15 excellent receptions for the Lady Falcons, who improved to a 5-4 win-loss record for forge a tie with UST in fourth to fifth spots.

La Salle’s ninth win in as many games pushed the team closer to a spot in the playoffs and kept the Lady Spikers on the right track for an elimination round sweep for an outright finals berth.

Angel Canino finished with 17 points on 15 kills and two kill blocks to lead La Salle, which beat the Golden Tigresses in straight sets in the first round.

Shevana Laput had 14 markers, Shane Reterta added 10 points and 15 excellent receptions while Amie Provido had nine points for the Lady Spikers.

La Salle turned the tables around after going down 12-20 in the third set with a huge 9-1 rally to tie at 21. The Golden Tigresses regained the lead, 23-21, before the Lady Spikers unleashed a 4-0 closing blast punctuated by a Canino kill.

“During the third set, I just reminded the players that we’re dealing with an aggressive opponent, so we have to gut it out in every situation,” the 12-time champion coach De Jesus said.

“Make a way and find a way if things don’t go as expected. Fight until you win and it worked. They slowly cut down the deficit until the endgame.”

With momentum on its side, La Salle raced to a 7-0 start in the fourth frame. The Lady Spikers opened a 23-12 advantage before Angge Poyos and Regina Jurado answered with back-to-back hits for UST.

Canino pushed La Salle at match point and the Tigresses surrendered the match with the last of their 33 errors.

“I can say that my players are already seniors. They are seasoned players and battle-hardened. Some are even exposed in the international level. They are the ones guiding the young ones through the lessons of experience especially in pressure-packed games,” De Jesus added.

UST saw its three-game winning streak snapped and slipped to a 5-4 card.

Poyos scored 19 of her 20 points on kills and Jurado finished with 12 markers for the Tigresses.

In men’s play, the Golden Spikers halted the Green Spikers’ four-game winning streak in straight sets, 25-18, 30-28, 25-23, for a 6-3 card.

La Salle fell to a 4-5 mark.

Meanwhile, Ateneo de Manila University stretched its winning streak to three after scoring a payback over first round tormentor Adamson University, 25-17, 25-27, 25-22, 25-20.

The Falcons absorbed their seventh loss in nine starts.