SSL: La Salle defeats UP in 4; UE turns back Lyceum

The De La Salle Lady Spikers. Photo from SSL

MANILA -- De La Salle University (DLSU) defeated University of the Philippines (UP), 25-14, 18-25, 26-24, 25-12, while University of the East (UE) recovered from a set down to turn back an upset-conscious Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU), 24-26, 25-21, 25-22, 25-14, in the 2024 Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship Saturday.

For the DLSU side, the triumph at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum was a way to announce their return to the preseason league.

They turned to collegiate veterans Angel Canino and Shevana Laput in the four-set win, with Laput scoring seven of her 18 points in the fourth frame including the game-sealing crosscourt kill, while Canino added 16 points with 14 coming off attacks for La Salle.

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“For the team, it was really just sticking to our system, listening to what the coaches were telling us but most importantly playing with pride and puso,” Laput, the 2023 National Invitationals Most Valuable Player said after La Salle weathered UP’s challenge.

Amie Provido added 10 points while Katrina Del Castillo had eight for the Lady Spikers.

After splitting the first two frames, the Lady Spikers controlled the third set and even held a 23-18 lead. But the Fighting Maroons fired four straight points to knot it at 23.

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A UP miscue gave La Salle the set-point advantage before Irah Jaboneta scored a hit for a 24-24 deuce. Laput answered with a crosscourt kill and Provido won it for La Salle off a kill block on Kassandra Doering.

Rookie Kianne Olango scored 12 points with half of it coming in the Fighting Maroons’ second-set assault. Doering finished with seven markers while Jaboneta and Nina Ytang chipped in six for UP.

Meanwhile, UE's Jelai Gajero, back from a knee injury she sustained last year, delivered an impressive performance for the Lady Warriors as she dropped a game-high 20 points from 17 kills, two kill blocks, and an ace.

Riza Nogales added 15 markers while KC Cepada and Nahomie Mpata scored nine and eight points for UE, which encountered stiff resistance from the Lady Pirates in the first three sets before cruising in the fourth.

Johna Dolorito was the lone Lyceum player in double figures with 10 points.