THUS far in UAAP Season 88, La Salle has been pushed to the limit by one team and one team only: upstart Adamson.
Inside the Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, the Lady Spikers yet again had to pull out all the stops to dispose of the very game Lady Falcons in four sets, 25-19, 17-25, 25-23, 25-23 and stay unscathed now through seven games in the women's volleyball tournament.
Back in their first round meeting, La Salle had to dig deep to put away Shaina Nitura and Frances Mordi-led Adamson in five frames - the first, and until now, lone - time the green and-white was pushed to the limit.
An encore looked like it was in the offing in this one, as after ceding Set 1, Mordi and Nitura energized the Lady Falcons to nine unanswered points early on in the second frame that erased a 3-6 deficit and, all of a sudden, erected a 15-8 advantage en route to tying up the match.
Come Set 3, the Lady Spikers regained their bearings with a 8-3 start that eventually ended as a two-point win before having to battle back from a disadvantage of as much as five points, 11-16, in the fourth frame.
Provido proves clutch
Adamson was then still ahead, 20-16, until Amie Provido came alive at the net with back-to-back blocks that fronted a 9-5 finishing kick to seal the deal once and for all for La Salle.
"It was really a tough game. Nilaban lang talaga namin. Ako, yun lang din naman yung role ko; as a senior, I really need to step up," Provido said.
The veteran middle wound up with 18 points built on 12 attacks and five blocks, while Canino was right there with her with 21 markers of her own, all but one coming from hits.
Skipper Shevana Laput, who got a career-high the last time the two teams met, was limited to 10 points in this one, even as rookie playmaker Eshana Nunag tallied 23 excellent sets.
"Talagang pinusuan din ng team. High praises din sa mga bata kasi bawat isa, willing to contribute," said Canino, who also pointed out their room for improvement in adding, "Madami pa kaming mali, very visible na hindi kami organized sa blockings, alog din kami sa depensa."
Indeed, the Lady Spikers gave away 19 points no thanks to their errors, and were outdone in the blocking department, 9-11.
Joy Aseo and Lhouiz Tuddao got three blocks apiece for the Lady Falcons, who counted a total of four players in double-digits, paced by Nitura's 23 from 21 attacks.
Mordi also added 21 points, as Fhei Sagaysay recorded 30 excellent sets, but they shot themselves in the foot with 29 miscues to fall to a 4-4 standing.
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