CHAMPION UAAP teams National University and La Salle have chalked up a pair of victories each in the 2024 Shakey's Super League Pre-season Championship.
But win No. 2 for each side were two contrasting tales against NCAA opposition.
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As one would expect in a packed NU team, the UAAP titleholders made quick work of the NCAA’s winless cellar-dweller Emilio Aguinaldo College in a 25-15, 25-7, 25-13 shutout on Friday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
It took just an hour and 17 minutes for the three-peat-seeking Lady Bulldogs to pin the Lady Generals down through Arah Panique’s 10-point outing and back-to-back seven-pieces from Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon.
Even with 41 total attacks, a whopping 10 blocks, and an 11-0 start to the second frame, giving away 22 free points on errors was an eyesore in a near-perfect showing for the Jhocson-based powerhouse.
“Ang challenge ngayon is marami pa kaming errors and siguro work on sa mga kulang pa namin and kailangan pang i-improve,” said Panique.
Stepping up in Taft
From one Alas Pilipinas hard-hitter to another, it would then be Angel Canino’s turn to lead La Salle to a rollercoaster 25-7, 25-21, 22-25, 25-15 victory over last year’s NCAA runner-up Letran.
And just like their opening assignment against University of the Philippines, one set slipped away from the oft-domineering Lady Spikers.
An 18-point first-set beating became an instant tug-of-war come the next two frames as Oliver Almadro’s wards fired two clutch hits and banked on an attack fault from Shevana Laput to force a fourth set.
Canino saw enough from the gutsy Lady Knights and took matters into her own hands, topped by the game-winning attack to put their NCAA foes to rest.
"Triny lang talaga namin to be more composed at hindi ma-rattle inside the court and communicate more. Nu'ng ni-remind kami ng mga coaches ng ganyan, medyo na-refresh 'yung mga minds namin sa kung anong dapat gawin namin inside," Canino said.
The former UAAP MVP topscored for the Taft side with 15 points on 11 attacks, two blocks and two aces.
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