La Salle, thru a sour rival’s triumph hours earlier than on Wednesday, secured a price tag to the Final Four of the UAAP girls’s volleyball exhibit.
And the Lady Spikers made certain that an unintentional help from University of Santo Tomas wouldn’t move to waste, gutting out a 25-19, 21-25, 22-25, 25-18, 15-4 victory over Adamson University as they and the Growling Tigresses stayed alive in quest of the second one twice-to-beat semifinal bonus.
Santo Tomas had an more uncomplicated time, making University of the Philippines glance not-so-dangerous in a 25-20, 25-21, 25-18 shellacking previous, earlier than La Salle stuck up at 9-4 that might make the video games this weekend essentially the most a very powerful but in Season 87.
La Salle had to dig deep earlier than keeping off tremendous rookie Shaina Nitura and the Lady Falcons. Afterwards, celebrity hitter Angel Canino had not anything however great phrases for who may well be her inheritor obvious.
“That kid is so skilled. She’s so unstoppable,” Canino stated in Filipino at the heels of a 21-point, 23-reception double-double that fueled the Lady Spikers’ fightback at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. “But at the same time, our preparations included stopping her. We’re glad that our fourth and fifth set blocking worked.”
“As disappointing as it is that we had to do this in five sets, it just shows our grit and our will to win,” added Shevana Laput, who chipped in 21 issues for La Salle.
It used to be a completely other tale for the Tigresses, who confronted a workforce that had one among its longest profitable streaks in years earlier than getting rid of the Fighting Maroons from semifinal rivalry.
“We’ve achieved what we aimed for from Day One, which we made clear during the [preseason] press con: Getting to the Final Four,” Santo Tomas head trainer KungFu Reyes stated in Filipino.
Solid internet protection
Last season’s greatest rookie, Angge Poyos, confirmed the best way with 19 issues that went with 9 digs and 5 receptions. Em Banagua became in a efficiency to bear in mind in opposition to the most productive blockading squad of the event, with 8 denials to banner the Santo Tomas internet protection.
“You can’t go to the Finals without making it to the Final Four,” he went on. “We’re on the right track, and this is where the real grind begins.”
That grind begins on Sunday in a mammoth duel with protecting champion National U, as any other win may just give the Tigresses no less than a playoff for No. 2 and the second one twice-to-beat privilege within the Final Four.
La Salle, then again, might be clashing with Far Eastern U on Saturday in any other high-stakes recreation for the reason that Lady Tamaraws also are taking a look to near out with a win and perhaps steer clear of completing fourth that will require a conflict with the Lady Bulldogs and wanting to overcome them two directly occasions within the semis.
“This is what we’ll do: Stick to the plan, get back on the hardcourt and execute everything we’ve prepared for,” Reyes stated of Sunday’s mammoth duel with the 11-2 Lady Bulldogs.
Veteran Detdet Pepito anchored the UST backline with 23 digs and 8 receptions, whilst Reg Jurado accounted for 13 assaults, with Mabeth Hilongo chipping in six of her personal spikes with 15 receptions.