Ernestine Tiamzon and the rest of the La Salle Lady Spikers are one win away from capturing back-to-back titles. |
By Ricky Manliguis
QUEZON
CITY-- Failing twice in the elimination round, La Salle finally got the payback
against its bitter rivals and in the finals no less.
Bucking a first-set loss, the defending champions stormed in the next three to frustrate Ateneo, 21-25, 29-27, 25-22, 25-20, to take Game 1 of the Women’s Volleyball finals of the UAAP Season LXXIX at the jam-packed Araneta Coliseum Tuesday.
The win
inched the Taft-based school closer to back-to-back titles as it defeated the
Lady Eagles for the first time this season.
After a
shaky start featuring 11 unforced errors, the Lady Spikers responded with a
gritty second-set comeback, rallying from an 18-22 deficit behind the steady
play of team captain Kim Fajardo.
The next two
frames were evenly-matched, as Ateneo even held an 18-15 lead in the fourth,
before
La Salle responded with six unanswered points to put away the game for
good.
Ernestine Tiamzon
fired 15 points, all on attacks, to banner the green side. Kim KIanna Dy
chipped in 14 markers, while Desiree Chang and Fajardo accounted for 10 apiece
on seven service aces.
The graduating
Fajardo also pumped in 37 of her team’s 40 excellent sets with 10 digs.
DLSU dominated defensively against the Ateneo offensive, picking up 62 digs and 32 excellent receptions.
“Actually
sa training, pag nagre-review kami ng game nakikita namin ang difference ng
bawat team, kaya naghabol kami sa depensa kasi very aggressive ang Ateneo,” La
Salle coach Ramil de Jesus in the post-game interview.
Jhoan
Maraguinot led the charge for the Lady Eagles with 16 points on 14 attacks, Bea
De Leon had 14, while Michelle Morente produced 11. Skipper Jia Morado chalked up 46 excellent sets.
Game
2 is set on Saturday, May 6, still at the Araneta Coliseum.
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