De La Salle University found itself on the ropes early but roared back in dominant fashion, outlasting the University of the Philippines in four sets, 23-25, 25-13, 26-24, 25-15, to notch a crucial bounce-back victory in the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball tournament on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
After dropping the opening frame in a tightly contested battle, the Green Spikers flipped the switch and turned up the heat, leaning on their firepower and resilience to secure the win and move up to 2-2 in the standings.
The Fighting Maroons came out swinging in the first set, setting the tone behind the efforts of Angelo Lagando and Louise Aballe. Their aggressive play saw UP seize advantage, and despite La Salle’s late push, the Maroons held firm to take the set, 25-23 with an off-the-block from the UP’s Nigerian hitter Olayemi Raheem, putting the Green Spikers in an early hole.
However, if UP’s first-set win was a statement, La Salle’s response in the second was an exclamation point. The Green Spikers stormed to a commanding 25-13 set win, flexing their offensive arsenal in the middles and Noel Kampton ignited the attack, reminding everyone why he’s one of the most potent scorers in the league.
Momentum swung back and forth in the pivotal third set, with UP determined to reclaim control. Lagando and Raheem Olayemi powered the Maroons to another late-set advantage at 21-17, seemingly on the verge of retaking the lead.
But Kampton had other plans.
La Salle’s go-to scorer refused to let the set slip away, sparking a relentless fightback that saw the Green Spikers erase the deficit and even snatch a 24-23 lead. Raheem momentarily kept UP in the fight with a clutch crosscourt hit, but Lagando’s attack sailed out on the next rally, handing La Salle set point. Rui Ventura then sealed the frame with a massive block on Raheem, delivering a gut-wrenching blow to the Fighting Maroons and giving La Salle a 2-1 set lead.
With momentum fully in their hands, the Green Spikers wasted no time dismantling UP in the fourth. The trio of JJ Rodriguez, Ventura, and Vince Maglinao connected seamlessly, breaking open a 3-4 deficit into a commanding 15-7 gap. La Salle never looked back, cruising to a 25-15 finish to complete the comeback and snap their skid.
Rui Ventura was hailed Player of the Game, tallying 14 points through nine attacks, three blocks, and two aces in La Salle’s victory over the Fighting Maroons. Meanwhile, Kampton rebounded from a quiet outing against UST, leading the team with 21 points on 17 attacks and four aces while adding 15 excellent receptions and seven digs.
De La Salle now looks to build on this momentum as it faces the University of the East next Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena, aiming for its first winning streak of the season.
Meanwhile, UP, now on a three-game slide after an opening weekend victory, falls to 1-3 alongside Adamson. Raheem once again led the Maroons with 19 points, while Lagando chipped in 11 points and five digs. They’ll attempt to stop the bleeding on Wednesday against the high-flying University of Santo Tomas.
