After a rough start to UAAP Season 87, the De La Salle University Green Spikers finally found their footing at the sunrise of the match. And once they did, they never looked back.
Playing at the Filoil EcoOil Centre on February 22, 2025, La Salle imposed their will early and rolled past Adamson University in straight sets, 25-19, 25-23, 25-19, to notch its first victory of the season.
And this one was about setting the tone early and keeping it. The Green Spikers stormed out to a momentum-building 8-1 lead in the opening set, establishing firm control before Adamson could even settle in.
The Falcons made a push, cutting the deficit to two, but Jerico “Eco” Adajar orchestrated the offense with precision, keeping La Salle’s attack in rhythm. When Uriel Mendoza capped the set with an off-the-block kill, the Green Spikers had doubled Adamson’s attack output, 16-7.
Set two was less straightforward. Ten unforced errors kept Adamson within striking distance, and for stretches, La Salle found itself playing catch up. But when it mattered the most, the Green Spikers delivered. Noel Kampton’s non-stop blazing from the backrow shifted momentum, and a well-timed block gave La Salle its first lead at 23-22. Mendoza put them on set point, and Adajar and Nathaniel Del Pilar shut the door with a rejection at the net, 25-23.
By the third set, La Salle had settled into a groove. Libero Jonathan De Castro anchored the defense, while Adajar’s precise playmaking continued to keep and shaky Adamson off balance. With the match firmly in their hands, the Green Spikers did the polishing work with a Del Pilar quick one-two play sealing the sweep.
Kampton led all Green Spikers with 24 points, earning Player of the Game honors, as La Salle whooped Adamson in attack points, 54-27. Despite the dominating match, the 25 unforced errors loomed as a concern, something the Green Spikers will need to tighten up as the season progresses.
For now, though, it’s a breakthrough moment as La Salle is on the winning board, and with momentum on their side, this could be just the start.
ANIMO LA SALLE!
