Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2016/sports2/04/23/ladyspikers-042316.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">The De La Salle Lady Spikers celebrate after defeating the Ateneo Lady Eagles on Saturday. Arvin Lim, <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/uaap/volleyball/photos">ABS-CBN Sports</a></div></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATED) De La Salle University used its tremendous net defense to overpower Ateneo de Manila University in straight sets and take a 1-0 lead in the UAAP Season 78 best-of-three women&#x27;s volleyball Finals Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.The Lady Spikers put on a &quot;block party,&quot; registering 13 kill blocks and frustrating the defending champions en route to a 25-22, 25-22, 25-21 win to move to within one victory of regaining the women&#x27;s volleyball crown.&quot;Matagal naming pinractice &#x27;yan,&quot; La Salle coach Ramil de Jesus said of their block patterns. &quot;So at least, nag-work.&quot;Much like in their first-round meeting, La Salle again took advantage of Ateneo&#x27;s poor service reception, and showcased impressive floor defense to repeatedly deny the Lady Eagles easy kills.(OPINION: <a href="http:// http://sports.abs-cbn.com/uaap/news/2016/04/23/why-year-s-ateneo-la-salle-finals-one-ages-10860">Why this year’s Ateneo-La Salle women’s volleyball finals is one for the ages</a>)However, it was a slow start for the Lady Spikers, as they trailed 0-4 in the opening set and forced De Jesus to call an early timeout. Ateneo went on to lead 7-1, but La Salle showed championship-level composure in inching their way back, eventually taking a 16-14 lead to head into the second technical timeout of the opening set.&quot;Alam ko na babalik ang composure nila,&quot; said De Jesus, who has previously said he wanted to see his players hold their nerve when trailing. &quot;Last time, sinabi ko na lahat ng set na nakuha namin, down ang kalaban. Malaking bagay sa amin na down kami, and kumapit para manalo.&quot;The Lady Spikers led by as much as five points, 22-17, before holding off a late Ateneo comeback to wrap up the first set via a crosscourt kill from Kim Dy.Ateneo looked to be on its way to scoring an equalizer, as they led 21-18 in the second frame off a swipe by Alyssa Valdez. Again, however, it was La Salle that had the stronger finishing kick. The Lady Spikers ended the set on a 7-1 run, capped by back-to-back blocks, for a 2-0 advantage.The Lady Eagles again took an early lead in the third, 7-3, but the Lady Spikers quickly wiped it out with a 6-0 blast built on Dy&#x27;s serve. A strong spike by Cyd Demecillo that the Ateneo blockers failed to stop gave La Salle the lead, 8-7, and they never trailed again.La Salle led 22-15 before a late Ateneo rally that the Lady Spikers helped along due to their own hitting errors. An ace by Jhoana Maraguinot made it a three-point game, 20-23, but Ara Galang scored on a down-the-line kill to put La Salle at match point.Ateneo saved one match point after Kim Fajardo&#x27;s serve hit the net, but Galang – back in the Finals after missing it last season due to injury – made the most of a poor pass, punching the ball through with enough spin to drop it to an unguarded area.(WATCH: <a href="http:// http://news.abs-cbn.com/video/sports/04/23/16/watch-la-salles-winning-point-vs-ateneo">La Salle&#x27;s winning point vs Ateneo</a>)&quot;Lahat, nag-deliver,&quot; De Jesus said. &quot;&#x27;Yan ang maganda ngayon.&quot;Dy led La Salle with 15 points on 11 attacks, Mika Reyes added 13, and Galang and Demecillo finished with 10 points. La Salle, as a team, finished with 41 attack points, while Ateneo had 37.Valdez led all scorers with 17, but the two-time MVP was repeatedly frustrated by the La Salle blockers, and indeed she was denied by Galang in the final rally of the second set. No other Lady Eagle finished in double-digits. As a team, Ateneo only had two kill blocks.La Salle can clinch the championship with another win on Wednesday&#x27;s Game 2.&quot;Lahat naman ng coach, pinapangarap &#x27;yun,&quot; De Jesus said of the championship. &quot;Sana, sa amin naman ang year na ito.&quot;The Season 78 Finals marks the fifth straight meeting between the arch-rivals, with La Salle winning in Seasons 74 and 76 before Ateneo took back-to-back titles in Seasons 76 and 77.(For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website.</a>)

(UPDATED) De La Salle University used its tremendous net defense to overpower Ateneo de Manila University in straight sets and take a 1-0 lead in the UAAP Season 78 best-of-three women's volleyball Finals Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.

La Salle stuns Ateneo in straight sets for 1-0 lead

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La Salle stuns Ateneo in straight sets for 1-0 lead

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 23, 2016 06:12 PM PHT

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Updated April 23, 2016 07:00 PM PHT

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