La Salle Lady Spikers have fun a degree vs NU Lady Bulldogs within the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball Finals Game 2. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
La Salle wrote an ideal ending to complete its redemption tour within the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament that took three years to make.
The Lady Spikers accomplished their unbeaten march to championship No. 13, dethroning National University with ease, 25-22, 25-16, 25-16, in Game 2 of the Finals on Saturday in front of twenty-two,509 fans on the Mall of Asia Arena, as La Salle returned the favor, so to talk, after being swept by the Lady Bulldogs last 12 months.
READ: UAAP Finals: La Salle dethrones NU to finish perfect title run
La Salle coach Ramil De Jesus had a modest goal of reaching NU’s level after the group of former stars Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon won three of the last 4 seasons for the Bulldogs.
“For me, you usually must chase the extent of the champion. Whoever wins the title becomes the usual you could prepare for and check out to achieve,” said De Jesus in Filipino. “It also helped that a few of our seniors played for Alas … they became guides for (our) younger players.”
READ: UAAP: Angel Canino, La Salle seniors still undecided on future
The Lady Spikers didn’t just match the Lady Bulldogs’ level; they finished a season like no other with a 16-0 sweep, counting an ideal performance within the title series where they didn’t yield a set to a really formidable foe.
Shevana Laput, who was limited to 11 Game 1 points, bounced back with 20 points on 14 kills and 6 blocks to emerge because the Finals MVP.
Angel Canino delivered 11 points, 10 digs and 10 excellent receptions, as Amie Provido contributed nine points, with Shane Reterta and Lilay Del Castillo adding eight each. Rookie setter Eshana Nunag had 17 excellent sets.
De Jesus scored his first 16-0 sweep, his second undefeated season after steering La Salle to a 14-game sweep and the outright title in 2004.
Bitter memory erased
Coach Ramil de Jesus and the La Salle Lady Spikers have fun after winning the championship within the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament, beating NU Lady Bulldogs. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
However it wasn’t easy before they finally erased memories of Season 76, once they squandered an outright Finals berth and lost the title to an Ateneo squad led by Alyssa Valdez.
“Truthfully, it was very difficult. Even in the primary round, we already faced plenty of struggles,” De Jesus said. “There have been games without (some key players). Those were challenges the team needed to undergo.
“I even told myself possibly we’d turn out to be champions due to all of the challenges we experienced. It wasn’t easy because we mostly relied on seven to eight players within the rotation,” he went on. “With games (played) so close together, some players were coping with knee pain and body aches. Recovery became a extremely big deal for us.”
“I’m thankful we finished Season 88 without major injuries and that the players stayed healthy overall, though I do know lots of them were already playing through pain,” he added.
The longtime La Salle coach was grateful for an additional championship, as his passion to show aspiring volleyball players won’t ever stop, hoping to proceed developing more Lady Spikers and winning more UAAP titles.
“For me, whenever you go to La Salle, you’ve to be able to adjust. You might want to follow the system and do what’s asked of you,” De Jesus explained. “In case you’re just going there to be related to La Salle, then that’s not the goal. In case you decide to go there, you’ve to be able to handle the whole lot.”
“Teaching is basically my passion. At any time when I see potential in a player, I need to assist bring out their talent and keep pushing them further. I actually enjoy teaching, and if a player desires to learn, we’ll help them improve.”
NU saw its bid for a 3rd straight title denied by La Salle within the rivals’ fourth Finals meeting.
Setter Lams Lamina played her final game for the Lady Bulldogs with 11 excellent sets.
Vange Alinsug led NU with 14 points. Sam Cantada had eight points, while Game 1 leading scorer Arah Panique was held to simply seven points. INQ