NU downs La Salle, nears SSL three-peat

MANILA, Philippines — Defending champion National University weathered a late third set surge by De La Salle University to draw first blood, 25-16, 25-12, 27-25, in the 2024 Shakey's Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship best-of-three finals at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.The Lady Bulldogs displayed grace under pressure to foil the Lady Spikers' attempt to drag the contest to a fourth set and zero in on completing a three-peat under new coach Sherwin Meneses.Reigning Most Valuable Player Alyssa Solomon took over in the third set where she scored seven of her game-high 14 points to bring NU to within a win away from a grand slam after its conquest of the National Invitationals last July in the league supported by Shakey's Pizza Parlor, GCash, Chery Tiggo, F2 Logistics, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner, R and B Milk Tea, Grab Philippines, and Summit Water.Bella Belen added 10 markers while Vange Alinsug added seven points capped by a perfectly timed offspeed attack to ice the one-hour, 46-minute revenge victory over the Lady Bulldogs' second round tormentor."Siyempre championship ito so talagang hindi bibigay ang La Salle kasi nga siyempre champion team din 'yan," Meneses said."'Yung break napunta sa amin nu'ng third set so thankful kami nakuha namin yung Game 1."NU came out charging and pounded away in the first two sets as La Salle showed little or no resistance at all.The Lady Bulldogs looked poised to close out the opening salvo of the championship rematch of the inaugural edition two years ago in dominating fashion but the Lady Spikers refused to go down without a fight.Shevana Laput and Angel Canino willed La Salle back from a 12-17 deficit before Amie Provido knotted the game at 21.NU regained the lead, 23-22, before Canino and Katrina Del Castillo fired back with consecutive points to take the set point, 24-23.Alexa Mata forced a deuce before Solomon pushed the Lady Bulldogs at match point with a dink off a misreceive by the Lady Spikers.Laput tied it again at 25 before NU got its second match point advantage on a referee's challenge on Laput's attack that went long. The Lady Bulldogs will go for the jugular on Sunday to rule the SSL's centerpiece tournament which has Smart Sports, PLDT Fibr, Mikasa, Asics, Rebel Sports, Eurotel, Victory Liner, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and SM Tickets as technical partners. "'Yung mga lapses namin titingnan namin ng mabuti para 'pag nag-Game 2 ma-limit 'yung errors namin pero siyempre happy kami na nakuha namin 'yung panalo," Meneses said.Laput had 12 points while Canino was limited to just eight markers for La Salle, which will try to bring the series to a Game 3 on December 1. SSL games are aired live and on-demand via Puso Pilipinas, SMART Livestream, Solar Sports Channel 70 on Sky Cable and Channel 59 on Cable Link. TMT