Games today:
(Mall of Asia Arena)
10 a.m. — FEU vs UP (m)
12 p.m. — NU vs UST (m)
2 p.m. — FEU vs UP (w)
4 p.m. — NU vs UST (w)
Too easy.
De La Salle University sent a strong statement to all would-be challengers to its throne after crushing Adamson University, 25-16, 25-16, 25-18, to open its repeat quest Saturday in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Lady Spikers showed no signs of slowing down nine months after annexing their 12th championship overall, rolling past last season’s third place squad.
Team captain Julia Coronel effectively utilized La Salle’s array of weapons in her first foray as starting setter following the departure of veteran Mars Alba, dishing out 13 excellent sets for the team’s balanced scoring.
Reigning Most Valuable Player and last season’s Rookie of the Year Angel Canino led all scorers with 14 points from 11 kills and three kill blocks laced with four excellent receptions and four digs for La Salle. Sophomore winger Shevana Laput had 11 points, Thea Gagate and Amie Provido had eight points each while Alleiah Malaluan made seven.
La Salle barely felt any resistance from the hapless Lady Falcons with head coach Ramil De Jesus getting the luxury of shuffling his bench and giving his backup players minutes. De Jesus welcomed his 28th year of service with La Salle with his 300th volleyball win as Lady Spikers mentor.
No Adamson player reached double-digit scoring with Lucille Almonte and Ishie Lalongisip finishing with just six each.
Meanwhile, rookie Casiey Dongallo made a rousing introduction with a 27-point explosion in the new-look University of the East’s 20-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-18, demolition of Ateneo de Manila University.
The 18-year-old winger fired missiles from all angles with 26 attacks including the game’s punctuation mark that finished off the stunned Blue Eagles in one hour and 57 minutes.
One of the six freshmen who came in with new coach Jerry Yee after last season’s one-win campaign, the California Academy recruit proved as good as advertised with a gutsy performance in the Lady Warriors’ first win over Ateneo in 14 years — a five-set decision back on 5 December 2010.
“I’m just thankful to my teammates because I cannot do that alone. I cannot have 27 points without them. So I’m just happy that during the time that I got a bit jittery, they were there to lift me,” Dongallo said.
“I got my 27 points because of them, from the sets of Kizzie (Madriaga) and the collective effort of my teammates.”
Riza Nogales backed her up with 13 points including four from kill blocks while Kayce Balingit hit 12 points for the Lady Warriors, who had 16 excellent sets from rookie setter Madriaga.
Dongallo sparked the decisive run of UE in the fourth set after Ateneo tied it at 13 following a fightback from 4-11 down. The newcomer put the Lady Warriors at match point, 24-16, with back-to-back hits before the Blue Eagles saved two match points only for Dongallo to take them out of their misery.
UE recovered from a first set hiccup with a dominating bounce back in the second frame before going through the wringer in the tight third frame.
Lyann de Guzman poured 19 points in a lost cause for Ateneo, which failed to welcome debuting Brazilian coach Sergio Veloso with a victory. JLo Delos Santos and Geezel Tsunashima had 10 for the Blue Eagles, who threw away 32 points off errors.
