DE La Salle outlasted University of Santo Tomas in a thriller, 26-28, 25-19, 25-20, 21-25, 15-13, to book a finals seat in the 2024 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Collegiate Pre-season Championship at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The Lady Spikers turned to Shevana Laput and Angel Canino late in the fifth set to hurdle the Golden Tigresses in the knockout semifinal and get another crack at the crown after a runner-up finish in the inaugural edition two years ago.
FEU, NU dispute other final spot
La Salle, still undefeated after eight games, will face the winner of the other semifinal between threepeat-seeking National University and unbeaten Far Eastern University in the best-of-three championship series of the tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, GCash, Chery Tiggo, F2 Logistics, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner, R and B Milk Tea and Summit Water.
The Lady Bulldogs and Lady Tamaraws dispute the last finals berth on Saturday. Game 1 of the championship is set on November 22.
Laput, the 2023 National Invitationals MVP, scored four of her 19 points in the deciding frame including back-to-back hits that kept the Lady Spikers in the lead.
“I just knew I had to step up. I had to be there for my team and be that reliable player for them. I hope that it showed in the court and I hope that my team will continue to rely on me and see me as an Ate for them,” said Laput, who had 15 attack points, two aces and two kill blocks.
With UST closing in, 11-10, after trailing by three midway in the final frame, Laput took matters into her own hands, pounding down a kill to give La Salle more breathing room before answering Angge Poyos’ missile with one of her own.
Canino pushed the Lady Spikers to match point off a combination play, 14-11. The Tigresses mounted one last hurrah with Poyos smashing an off the block kill followed by La Salle’s last of 40 errors to save two match points.
But Canino quelled the uprising with a long hit that found an undefended area in the backrow as the Lady Spikers got their revenge over the same squad that dethroned them in the UAAP Season 86 Final Four six months ago, also in a five-setter.
Canino had 17 points highlighted by 16 kills while Amie Provido played solid defense at the net with four kill blocks in a 12-point performance for La Salle.
UST will try to salvage a podium finish in a one-game battle for third against the loser of the other semis pairing.
Poyos led the Tigresses with 22 points, all from spikes, including eight markers in the fourth to help her squad drag the match to a fifth set. Regina Jurado and Jonna Perdido scored 10 each in a losing effort.
Meanwhile, College of Saint Benilde swept University of the Philippines, 25-19, 25-14, 25-20, in the first phase of the classification round of the competition which has Smart Sports, PLDT Fibr, Mikasa, Asics, Rebel Sports, Eurotel, Victory Liner, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and SM Tickets as technical partners.
The NCAA three-peat champions Lady Blazers will challenge the winner of the other classification round match between Ateneo and University of the East in the battle for fifth slated November 16.
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