Lady Spikers using Holy Week break to reset, recuperate

Although already through to a 16th straight playoffs appearance and still unbeaten after 10 starts, De La Salle University head coach Ramil De Jesus is still looking for something specific from his wards.

It’s not about adjustments on offense or in the Lady Spikers’ defensive pattern.

The 12-time champion mentor hopes his personnel will stay intact and serviceable as La Salle heads into the final stretch of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament elimination round.

“What I’m looking for right now is for the players to stay healthy until the end of the eliminations. That is a situation (injury) that unfortunately we don’t have control of,” De Jesus said.

So far, the Taft-based squad has been running like a well-oiled machine, rolling past its last 10 opponents with just four assignments left.

La Salle sits comfortably on top of the standings and has booked at least a semifinals seat after beating University of the Philippines, 25-15, 25-18, 25-20, last Sunday before a halt of hostilities in observance of the Holy Week.

The Green Archers, fortunately, have not encountered major health issues, save for skipper Shevana Laput and Lilay Del Castillo missing a couple of games due to illnesses.

Laput sat out two playdates to recover after feeling under the weather, while Del Castillo skipped one game for the same reason.

But the two vital cogs returned with the same fire in their eyes to help La Salle draw closer to its ultimate goal of ending a three-year title drought.

The Lady Spikers, who are in their longest winning run in a season since winning nine straight in Season 85 back in 2023 en route to their 12th title overall, are on the right track to secure a twice-to-beat advantage in a regular Final Four format.

An elimination-round sweep will hand La Salle an outright finals ticket — a first for the team since 2014 in Season 76.

De Jesus plans to give his wards some time to recuperate and recharge before plunging back into battle.

“We rest Monday and train until (Holy) Wednesday and then take a three-day rest before going back to the grind on Easter Sunday,” he said.

La Salle battles Far Eastern University on 8 April at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Lady Spikers will then face Ateneo de Manila University (11 April) and University of the East (15 April) before the much-anticipated finals rematch with three-peat-seeking National University on 19 April to wrap the elims.