OFFENSE VS DEFENSE
When National University and La Salle, protagonists of the last three of four championship bouts of UAAP women’s volleyball tournament, clash once again for the all-important Game 1 of the Season 87 crown, it will be a battle of the best offense versus the best net defense.
The Lady Bulldogs, the most dominant squad in recent years, enter the title series as the league’s best spikers with a 35.84 percent success rate from 829 spikes, 225 faults, 1,259 shots and 2,313 total attempts.
Their success is mainly because of the troika Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon and Vange Alinsug, who have been successfully collecting kills under the masterful playmaking of top setter Lams Lamina.
“We all know NU well. They have been together since high school so they have a lot of experience together,” La Salle coach Ramil de Jesus said. “[But] if my players can show what I expect of them, we’ll be able to be at par with NU and we’ll have a better chance.”
“The target is really to defend the crown,” coach Sherwin Meneses said ahead of his first Finals appearance in just his first season with the Bulldogs.
Belen is the leading spiker with a 37.63 percent success rate followed by Solomon with 37.13 percent. At No. 8 is Alinsug with 34.54 percent as Lamina facilitated with 309 running sets and 1,071 still sets with only five faults and averaged 5.33 sets per frame.
Belen, the Bulldog skipper, is currently the fifth-best scorer with 222 spikes, 18 blocks and 30 aces for a total 270 points while talented opposite hitter Solomon sits at No. 7 with 202 spikes, 27 blocks and 10 aces to come up with 239 points.
Alinsug is tied with Ateneo’s AC Miner at No. 8 as she contributed 172 spikes, 16 blocks and 10 aces for a total of 198 points.
Best blockers
All that offense, however, will be seriously tested against one of the best defenses in the college scene. The traditional powerhouse Lady Spikers have relied heavily on their vaunted net protection to reach their 21st Finals appearance.
As the league’s best blockers, La Salle has 160 kill-blocks and are averaging 2.54 blocks per set behind Amie Provido, who is No. 2 in the league with 36 kill blocks, 0.57 per set, and fourth- best blocker Shevana Laput, who has 33 kill blocks and is averaging 0.52 per set. Lilay del Castillo also flexed her prowess at the net with 32 kill blocks averaging 0.51 per set. Top offensive threat Angel Canino ranks eighth with 31 kill blocks at 0.49 average per set.
“One of our strengths is the blockings so when it doesn’t work it will be more difficult for us,” De Jesus said. “[Our] team has the height so we push them to do well in blocking. When that happens we can think less about attacking because we’ll be getting our scoring from that.”
Belen is also the leading server with 30 aces and 199 serve hits. On the other side of the net, La Salle has best receiver Lyka de Leon to counter Belen. De Leon has accumulated 218 excellent receptions and 194 serve receptions for a 46.51% efficiency.
The Taft-based squad hasn’t won against the defending champion since the second round of Season 86. In their matchups this season, NU swept the Lady Spikers in the first round before needing four sets to dispatch of La Salle in the second round.
But the Lady Bulldogs aren’t about to be overconfident from those previous results, especially with one of the league’s most established programs that is very capable of preparing a counter to their strengths, standing in their way.
“When it comes to the Finals, the team will play like it’s back to zero,” Belen said. “Whoever wants to win more will take home the win.”
