HEAD COACH: Ramil de Jesus (28th year)
LAST SEASON: 11-3 (Lost to UST in Final Four)
KEY HOLDOVERS: Angel Canino (captain), Shevana Laput, Amie Provido, Baby Jyne Soreño, Alleiah Malaluan, Julyana Tolentino, Lyka De Leon, Lilay del Castillo
KEY SUBTRACTIONS: Thea Gagate, Leila Cruz, Julia Coronel, Maicah Larroza, Jenya Torres, Julieanna Levina, Tala Hernandez
ADDITIONS: Jill Torres, Shane Reterta, Ela Raagas, Mikole Reyes, Jessa Ordiales, Francesca Sofia Rodriguez
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WHEN it comes to women’s volleyball, La Salle will always be La Salle.
Some of the sport’s greatest local exports over the last three decades first stood on the shoulders of the UAAP’s winningest coach in Ramil de Jesus with 12 titles and over 300 career wins to his name.
While the ever-dominant Lady Spikers lost their grip of the crown for the second time in three seasons, backing down from a title fight won’t ever be an option for this program that has long embodied success and longevity at the highest level.
Season 86 was one of the tougher years the green-and-white has had in recent memory with the sheer weight of challenges it dealt with all season long.
Losing then-reigning MVP Angel Canino to an undisclosed right hand injury midway through the elimination round was a blow as huge as can be in the midst of resurgent campaigns from eventual finalists National University and University of Santo Tomas.
It would also mark the first time in five years that La Salle missed out on a twice-to-beat advantage, as it slid to the third-seed despite a strong 11-3 prelims record sans its leading scorer for the most part.
Then came an agonizing exit in the Final Four, as the Golden Tigresses made good use of its top two incentive and took out the Lady Spikers in five sets to complete a rare season sweep over the erstwhile defending champions.
Aye, aye, captain Canino!
Now, for the Taft side to get back on top, its arrows must take a sharper aim at the ultimate prize without being too shaken up by any more surprises and setbacks.
A stronger than ever Canino, equipped with Alas Pilipinas experience over the past few months, will front the La Salle offense in her junior — and possibly final — year along with 6-foot-2 winger Shevana Laput who’s been a promising and towering gem for RDJ’s squad.
The green-and-white’s power duo will be backed by a quintet of veteran mainstays who’ve kept hold of their bows through the school’s highs and lows in recent years.
Staying put in the Lady Spikers’ stable are Amie Provido, Baby Jyne Soreño, Alleiah Malaluan, Julyana Tolentino, and Lyka De Leon.
This time, an even younger contingent of rookies led by Fil-American spiker Jill Santos will enter the fray along with the likes of Shane Reterta, Mikole Reyes — sister of school icon Mika Reyes — and Ela Raagas who had their first taste of action in the Shakey’s Super League late last year.
One can always count on La Salle to fight with honor and heart even in the rare times it has fallen prey to their foes.
For the Lasallian community and the legions of fans that have long held on to their culture of winning over the years, expect the Lady Spikers to give it their all in upholding the school’s decades-old vow: never shall they fail.
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