Perfect season beckons

Games on Saturday:

(Mall of Asia Arena)

2 p.m. — NU vs FEU (m)

5 p.m. — NU vs La Salle (w)

It seemed like De La Salle University head coach Ramil de Jesus never stopped teaching his student, Regine Diego, lessons about volleyball.

In their first finals meeting as tacticians, no less, De Jesus and the still-perfect Lady Spikers schooled Diego and defending champion National University (NU) about adjustment in a lopsided 25-23, 25-18, 25-18, win in Game 1 of the best-of-three University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament finals Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

De Jesus displayed his genius by snapping La Salle out of a sluggish start en route to a masterful sweep that drew the Taft-based squad closer to a 13th overall crown and first since claiming the throne three years ago.

Although a bit rusty following a two-week break since sweeping the 14-game elimination round that earned them an outright finals entry for the first time in 12 years, the Lady Spikers were able to recalibrate their approach to turn the tables around — highlighted by a decisive 9-0 run in the third frame that effectively took the bark out of the Lady Bulldogs. 

“We had a slow start and then eventually, in the latter part of the set, the team was able to adjust and play to the tempo of the game. And I guess, the team has learned to handle the pressure,” said De Jesus, who took on his former setter and first-year NU mentor Diego in the finals.   

Angel Canino, skipper Shevana Laput, Amie Provido and Shane Reterta were the four-headed monster that led the Lady Spikers to a relatively easy victory over the same squad that gave them a stinging heartbreak in the finals just a year ago.

La Salle now has a chance to return the favor on Saturday in Game 2 at the same Pasay venue.

The Lady Spikers fought the Lady Bulldogs tooth and nail in a tight third frame before NU took a 15-14 advantage.

La Salle answered with an avalanche, racking up nine unanswered points for a 23-15 lead punctuated by a Provido hit. Chams Maaya and a Lady Spikers error momentarily halted NU’s bleeding before Reterta’s kill pushed La Salle to match point.

Rookie setter Eshana Nunag got a little too eager on her wayward serve on the next play, but Arah Panique committed a costly attack error that the Lady Bulldogs unsuccessfully challenged for a block touch to yield the opener.     

“I guess the turning point of the game was the reminder of our coaches that were a bit too tense at the start and that we should take the pressure off our shoulders. That we should play the way we trained and that although we didn’t play in the stepladder, we worked hard for thus during. I guess that was the turning point, the way coach woke us up,” said Canino, who led La Salle with 17 points on 15 kills, one ace and one kill block while adding nine digs and five excellent receptions.

“I’m very happy we won Game 1 but this is just one step closer to the goal and this is not yet our goal. We want to finish the season on a high note. We’ll end this cloud-nine feeling today and focus on what we should do next because for sure, they (NU) will make adjustments,” Canino added.