DE La Salle shoots for its 10th championship against Ateneo in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 79 women’s volleyball Finals at 4 p.m. today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Lady Spikers won for the first time in three meetings with the Lady Eagles this season, carving out a 21-25, 29-27, 25-22, 25-20 victory in last Tuesday’s opener.
For Kim Kianna Dy, last year’s Finals MVP, De La Salle needs to go all-out and not give Ateneo an inch to send the best-of-three series to a deciding Game 3.
“Given that we beat them, we should not be overconfident and improve for the better,” said Dy, who finished with 14 points in Game 1.
“We are excited to defend the crown and hopefully this is our last game,” she added.
To be able to close it out, the Lady Spikers need to curb down on their errors, as they gave the Lady Eagles 40 free points from miscues in the opener.
De La Salle needs to sustain its sharp serves, which was evident in the second set when super senior Kim Fajardo was solid in the service zone, as well as in floor defense, where libero Dawn Macandili thrives.
Tin Tiamzon was also huge for the Lady Spikers in Game 1, recording 15 points and eight excellent receptions, proving that she’s ready for big-time.
Ateneo also had an error-filled game with 34, as it rued what happened in the second frame where it failed to get the breaks that could have give the Katipunan-based spikers a 2-0 set advantage and put De La Salle on the ropes.
The Lady Eagles had an intense twice-a-day training in the past few days, and with coach Tai Bundit missing last Thursday’s PVL game to focus on Game 2.
“It wasn’t the worst game (opener) that we played. We will bounce back. It’s not yet over,” said Ateneo middle hitter Bea de Leon, who had three blocks and two service aces to finish with 14 points in the loss.
If the Lady Eagles, who also won Game 2 last year, pulls through, the championship decider will be played on Wednesday at the Big Dome.
Before the game, the league will honor the individual awardees led by season MVPs Majoy Baron of De La Salle and Marck Espejo of Ateneo in the ceremony to be held at 3 p.m.
The Blue Eagles seek to complete a perfect men’s season against National University in Game 2 slated at 12 noon.
Espejo, who will claim his fourth straight MVP award, bailed Ateneo out in last Tuesday’s 25-22, 21-25, 22-25, 25-18, 15-13 win to inch closer to a three-peat.
“We have to be more consistent. Consistent but looking up,” said coach Oliver Almadro after his Eagles survived their biggest test of their dominant season.
Games today:
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
12 noon – NU vs ADMU (Men Finals)
3 p.m. – Awarding Ceremony
4 p.m. – DLSU vs ADMU (Women Finals)