Good teams find a way to compete.
Great teams find a way to win under intense pressure.
The DLSU Lady Spikers found defensive cohesion and their signature offensive spark in the most critical point of the match to outlast the Adamson Lady Falcons in five sets, 25-16, 18-25, 25-23, 22-25, 15-8, and punched their ticket to the Shakey’s Super League finals.
After four sets of your-turn-my-turn, the San Marcelino volleybelles took an early lead in the final set and stormed ahead 0-3 before Coach Noel Orcullo’s frontline rotation of Thea Gagate, Jynne Soreno and Angel Canino started to shred the Adamson net defense.
A Gagate service ace, a block by Fifi Sharma and an open whammy by super rookie Canino broke the Falcons’ final set flight and pushed the Lady Spikers to the lead at 6-4.
And the Lady Spikers were just warming up.
Finding a favorable rotation with Adamson’s net defensive pieces at the back, Canino pummeled Adamson’s floor defense while Soreno’s service ace pushed the green team to take a more comfortable 9-5 lead.
Another block on the net by captain Marione Alba and an open attack by Allieah Malaluan gave La Salle a commanding 11-6 lead forcing Adamson coach Jerry Yee to call an emergency timeout.
At this point of that searing momentum, no ceasefire can cool off the hot-streaking Lady Spikers with Malaluan burying two points down the middle of the Adamson defense and Sharma scored on another service ace to put the game on ice 14-7.
Thea Gagate was named Player of the Game with 18 points, 5 blocks and 4 service aces.
La Salle will find a familiar foe in the finals in the NU Lady Bulldogs hoping to start their redemption season .
ANIMO LA SALLE!!!
