De La Salle University outworked defending champion National University, 32-30, 14-25, 25-22, 25-21, to start its second round campaign in the 2024 Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship Sunday night at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Main gunners Angel Canino and Shevana Laput were the Lady Spikers’ one-two punch on offense while young setter Mikole Reyes held her own in a championship-like atmosphere in the much-anticipated clash of title favorites in Pool E.
La Salle handed the three-peat-seeking Lady Bulldogs their first loss in the league after racking up 28 straight victories spanning four tournaments they participated in since 2022.
Canino scored 20 points on 18 kills and two aces while Laput added 18 markers including two of the Lady Spikers’ last three points to end the two-hour, 15-minute showdown of power squads meeting for the first time since the winner-take-all final of the competition’s inaugural edition.
Reyes, on the other hand, showed maturity as the 19-year-old playmaker tallied 16 excellent sets to help La Salle hammer 56 kills.
The Lady Spikers flirted with disaster after allowing the Lady Bulldogs to string four straight points to close the gap, 22-20, in the fourth set.
Laput stopped the bleeding, but Bella Belen smashed another hit to bring NU back to within two. Laput, the 2023 National Invitational Most Valuable Player, scored on an off the block kill before Shane Reterta sealed the win with a stunning service winner.
La Salle saved six set points in the extended first set before stealing the frame. The Lady Bulldogs were in full control in the second set before the Lady Spikers regained the match advantage in the third.
NU saw its four-game tournament unbeaten streak snapped.
Alyssa Solomon made 18 points while Belen and Vange Alinsug had 13 markers each for the Lady Bulldogs.