It’s back to the drawing board for the DLSU Lady Spikers after dropping an early acid test against the NU Lady Bulldogs.
What was expected to be the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball opening weekend’s most thrilling contest turned into a lopsided win for the defending champs NU Lady Bulldogs against the redemption-seeking DLSU Lady Spikers on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
The Lady Bulldogs swept their Taft-based foes 25-23, 25-21, 25-18 before 16,616 fans to open their title defense in style and gave new head coach Sherwin Meneses a triumphant return to the collegiate ranks.
However, this also marked the Lady Spikers’ first opening weekend loss since 2012, when they dropped a five-set affair against the UST Golden Tigresses in UAAP Season 75.
“Actually sabi ko nga sa mga bata, first time ko natalo [in a long while] sa opening game sa 28 years ko sa UAAP, so sabi ko sa batch niyo pa nangyari,” DLSU head coach Ramil de Jesus said in a rare post-game interview on Sunday.
The legendary coach, though, is taking things in stride given that his team is still adjusting to life without seniors Julia Coronel and Thea Gagate. While the likes of Angel Canino, breakout star Shevana Laput, and Amie Provido remain, it’s still a much younger team that will lead the Lady Spikers’ redemption bid for this season.
“Medyo masakit pero kailangan intindihin mo ‘yung side ng mga bata…Mahirap ‘yun kasi alam natin gusto manalo eh, pero siguro dahil gusto lang manalo ng NU kanina,” De Jesus continued.
Laput top-scored with 18 points on Sunday, while a dedicated NU strategy limited Canino to seven markers. Provido and Aleiah Malaluan, meanwhile, followed with five markers apiece in the losing effort.
Rookie Mikole Reyes struggled in her debut as the Lady Spikers’ setter, while the elder Jules Tolentino only tossed up five excellent sets in the 96-minute affair.
“Actually siguro wake-up call sa kanila…Lahat naman pag bagong team o bagong generation eh mataas expectation palagi, so dahil andon ‘yung may Shevana Laput ka, mayroong Angel Canino, so mataas ‘yung expectation,” he said.
As for his setters, De Jesus had this to say: “First time sa UAAP, so sabi ko nga sa kanya [Reyes] ‘yung first game naiintindihan ko, pero ‘yung susunod na game ‘di na first game ‘yun so kailangan stable na.”
Ramil de Jesus and the DLSU Lady Spikers return to action on February 22 against Shaina Nitura and the Adamson Lady Falcons. And as early as now, the legendary mentor hopes that his wards have learned something from this rare opening-day loss against the defending champs.
“Sabi ko nga sa kanila, wala naman natatalo sa game eh, basta alam mo ‘yung kahit natalo ka, natuto ka, ‘yun ‘yung importante. Pero kung natalo ka tas wala ka natutunan, talagang talo ka non. Ang importante, talo ka and may natutunan ka sa pagkatalo mo and ready ka na i-correct ‘yan sa mga susunod na mga games.”
While a loss is a loss, De Jesus also emphasized that we’re still in the elimination rounds, and his team will have ample time to learn and develop their younger core for the Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
“Ang totoong laban is pag umabot ka na ng finals, hindi dito sa eliminations. Ang importante lang eh i-gapang natin na makapasok sa top two, top four and then siguro, doon onti-onti nang magkakakumpyansa ‘yung mga bata,” he said.
Banner images courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.