For a team built on championship pedigree, one loss wasn’t about to shake them.
The multi-titled De La Salle University Lady Spikers walked into the FilOil EcoOil Centre with something to prove—and they did just that, dismantling the Adamson Lady Falcons in straight sets, 25-21, 26-24, 25-20, to get their UAAP Season 87 campaign back on track.
It was not just an ordinary volleyball squad, it was the hyped Adamson Lady Falcons with their gem of a rookie, Shaina Nitura who scored 34 points in their first win over the Ateneo Blue Eagles on opening weekend.
It wasn’t just a flawless performance, but it was a strong message to the league.
Finding Their Footing
La Salle had to weather some early turbulence after a sluggish start saw them surrender the first four points of the match, forcing Coach Ramil de Jesus to burn an early timeout.
Shevana Laput broke the ice with a much-needed kill, and Amie Provido followed with a block, setting off a quick 3-0 burst that signaled the green awakening. Adamson’s errors began piling up, giving the Lady Spikers an opening. Once Alleiah Malaluan’s service ace knotted the score at six, momentum had clearly swung to Taft.
From there, La Salle dictated the pace, leaning on timely points from Malaluan, Angel Canino, and Katrina Del Castillo. Provido’s block on Adamson’s Trisha Nitura put the Lady Falcons reeling, forcing a timeout at 23-20. It was only a matter of time when Malaluan punctuated the set with a well-placed kill off a Mikole Reyes setup, 25-21.
Surviving the Second-Set Test
La Salle came out slinging sharper arrows in the second, but Adamson wasn’t going down quietly. The Lady Falcons kept it close, even briefly reclaiming the lead at 7-6. But the Lady Spikers, behind Canino’s relentless attacking and Del Castillo’s service pressure, kept their composure.
At 20-all, the set was up for grabs. Adamson was pushing, but their untimely and costly errors kept the winning door open. A Canino tip forced a timeout at 23-21, and when the Falcons misfired twice in the closing sequence, La Salle capitalized, escaping with a 26-24 win.
Closing the Door
By the third set, it was all La Salle rhythm and Adamson blues. The green spikers jumped out to a 9-3 advantage as the San Marcelino struggles continued, with Malaluan, Canino, and Provido taking turns burning holes into the Lady Falcons’ defense.
Adamson made one final push, cutting the deficit to three, but La Salle never lost control. Malaluan’s crosscourt kill kept them in front, and Provido’s block provided breathing room at 17-14. With Canino and Laput delivering from all angles, the Lady Falcons had no answers.
Malaluan’s down-the-line rocket made it 23-17. Canino’s hammer brought up match point. And fittingly, Malaluan—who had been steady all night—delivered the final dagger, 25-20.
Statement Made
La Salle outgunned Adamson in attacks (34-27) and blocks (7-5), while Reyes orchestrated the offense with precision, setting up her teammates for high-percentage looks. Canino paced the team with 14 points (12 spikes, two blocks), while Malaluan added 13, including a clutch service ace.
The Lady Falcons didn’t do themselves any favors with 28 unforced errors, but this was as much about La Salle rediscovering its championship form as it was about Adamson faltering.
One loss wasn’t going to define the Lady Spikers. This win, however, might just be the spark they needed.
ANIMO LA SALLE
ANIMO LADY SPIKERS
