Lady Spikers get golden shot at redemption

De La Salle University gets a golden chance at finally banishing the ghost of a wasted outright finals berth that has haunted the Lady Spikers for the past 12 years.

Right after game officials decided on a net touch infraction against three-peat-seeking National University (NU), which formally handed La Salle a direct path to the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament finals, the Lady Spikers knew fate has found a way for them to correct the regrets of the past.

This time, the new generation of green and white-clad ladies will get the opportunity to complete an unfinished business from more than a decade ago.

“We don’t want a repeat of the nightmare we had back in Season 76. We’ll not let that happen again,” long-time assistant coach Noel Orcullo said following La Salle’s 27-25, 15-25, 23-25, 25-23, 15-13, win over the Lady Bulldogs last Sunday to complete a 14-game elimination round sweep.

In front of a 19,419-strong crowd inside the Mall of Asia Arena, La Salle barged directly to the best-of-three championship — the school’s 21st finals appearance overall.

But the last time the Taft-based squad advanced to the championship outright, what was supposed to be an easy way to a record four-peat turned into a traumatic experience.

Bannered by former MVP Aby Marano, Ara Galang, Kim Fajardo and Ara Galang, the Season 76 batch of Lady Spikers entered the 2014 finals armed with a thrice-to-beat advantage over the Alyssa Valdez-led Ateneo de Manila University.

A shocker followed as La Salle was beaten thrice by then-Lady Eagles in a series that went the full four games.

Fast-forward to the crew of Angel Canino, Shevana Laput and Amie Provido, the new generation of Lady Spikers are putting all the stops to make sure history won’t repeat itself as they wait for their opponent, which will be decided through a stepladder semifinals.

“Now that we’re playing the waiting game for championship, we won’t stop working to improve our game and get ready for the most important games,” Orcullo said.

“We’ll stay focused. Keep our eyes on the big picture and finish what we started. We’ll continue to hold firm on our goal. We’ll finish this the way we started it,” he added.

La Salle will be watching closely as to how second-running NU and Adamson University, who are already assured of seats in the semis, University of Santo Tomas and Far Eastern University play out the end of the elims and the stepladder semis.