After their ninth straight win for a perfect record, the Lady Spikers are now seeking to continue their best season eliminations run in eight years.

De La Salle no longer hopes to be dragged into the decider set when it takes on University of Santo Tomas in their second round meeting in the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball.

The Lady Spikers are coming off a straight-set victory over the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws on March 29, but not without a tough challenge.

After their ninth straight win for a perfect record, the Lady Spikers are now seeking to continue their best season eliminations run in eight years.

However, La Salle had to overcome a five-set match against UST in their opening duel first before getting to where they are, something that assistant coach Noel Orcullo wants to remedy before they meet on Sunday, April 2.

“Actually sabi ko nga kanina doon sa bench namin sa mga coaches, dapat hindi ganito laruin natin pagdating sa UST. Dahil iyong UST sobrang agresibo, matibay iyong depensa, malakas mag-serve," said Orcullo.

“So, kailangan triple effort iyong gawin namin sa traning and coming into the game. Kailangan hindi ganiyan iyong magiging simula. Kailangan aggressive agad na kami,” he added.

Super rookie Angel Canino, who exploded for 18 points in her debut for La Salle against UST last Feb. 26, refused to believe that La Salle has the upper hand over the Golden Tigresses.

Canino said that UST will be venting its ire in their next meeting.

“Paghahandaan lang namin sila [UST] kasi bagong round din naman ngayon. Iba na, past na iyon. Nilo-look forward na namin kung sinong next namin na kalaban. Mag-stick lang kami sa game plan namin kasi alam namin mag-aadjust din sila,” said Canino.

With one of their key pieces Leila Cruz likely out of the season following an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury she sustained in La Salle’s win over National University last March 25, the rest of the team won't be weighed down by the unfortunate news.

“Sad to say, she got an ACL. Tanggapin namin kung ano iyong [nangyari]. Although iyong bata naman positive naman sa sarili niya na kung ano man iyong magiging outcome ng MRI niya, tatanggapin naman niya. ‘Yon nga lang, talagang nawalan kami ng isang vital part sa team. So, we have to move on,” said Orcullo.

Now in the presence of their returning head tactician in Ramil De Jesus, the Lady Spikers are now inspired more than ever to continue the perfect run.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by NIKOLE JAVIER

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