Photo from UAAP Media Bureau
MANILA – Angel Canino may have tasted a loss at the hands of the NU Lady Bulldogs in the offseason but she got even on the bigger stage, Wednesday.
Canino steered the De La Salle Lady Spikers in pummeling the Lady Bulldogs haplessly in the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament with 14 points.
As a result, La Salle finished the first round of eliminations with a perfect 7-0 card against the 5-2 slate of the defending champions, who are currently tied with UST and Adamson in the second spot.
According to the super rookie, they flaunted the character of the team in their 25-10, 25-15, 25-21 overwhelming win over NU – which beat La Salle in all four of their games last season.
“Kagaya nga po ng sinabi ko dati after noong preseason na laro kalaban sila, sabi ko hindi pa nagsisimula ang laban and natapos na po 'yung laban ngayon, nanalo po kami,” she said after the three-set win.
“Pinakita po namin kung ano po kami, kung ano po ang kaya namin and pinush po namin 'yung sarili namin as a team and as an individual na ito 'yung kaya namin, ito kami as Lady Spikers.”
But Canino refused to take all the credit for the victory, explaining that everyone in the team stuck to their system that made the win possible.
Fifi Sharma and Jolina dela Cruz also tallied double digits in the short game, scoring 12 and 11 points, respectively.
“I think it's not me lang naman po, lahat kami nagtutulungan sa loob and hindi lang po dahil sa akin kaya kami nanalo, lahat po kami, kaya po kami nanalo, kaya 'yan po 'yung resulta. Nag-stick po kami sa game plan and sa system,” she continued.
Even veteran setter and skipper Mars Alba played a great game with 20 excellent sets and three points.
Alba also echoed their rookie’s statement, trusting the system imposed by their coaching staff.
“For me syempre hindi ko yun magagawa kung hindi sa teammates ko, nagtulong-tulong talaga kami and tyinaga namin 'yung game today para makamit namin 'yung win,” Alba said.
De La Salle will open the second round with a rematch against NU on Saturday, March 25.
UAAP Season 85 is streaming on iWantTFC every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, available for Premium users outside the Philippines.