The De La Salle Lady Spikers moved closer to defending the crown after turning back the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws, 29-27, 25-21, 25-22, in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 80 women's volleyball finals on Saturday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Balanced scoring propelled the three-peat seeking Lady Spikers to the victory. Kianna Dy topped with ten points, while May Luna provided nine markers off the bench. Majoy Baron and Tin Tiamzon, who added eight points apiece, combined for seven of the team's 11 kill blocks.
Heather Guino-o was the only Lady Tamaraw in double-digits with 14 points built on nine attacks, four blocks, and an ace. Skipper Bernadeth Pons was limited to just nine points but she also contributed 17 digs and 12 receptions.
The Lady Tamaraws overpowered La Salle in attacks (37-29) and serves (6-5) but they gave away 34 free points off their errors.
In the first set alone, they committed 17 miscues that prevented them from pulling off a come-from-behind win. They were able to turn a 6-12 deficit to a 16-all deadlock but multiple errors allowed La Salle to pull away again and reach set point 24-21.
FEU stayed alive as Chin-Chin Basas sparked a 3-0 run that forced a deuce, then Kyle Negrito fired an ace to steal the lead. However, Negrito and Jeanette Villareal threw away their serves then Pons sent the ball straight to the net, which gave the advantage back to La Salle. Guino-o and Tiamzon traded hits before Basas gave up the set-clinching point with a long ball.
The Lady Tamaraws were off to a rousing 6-2 start in the second frame but the Lady Spikers closed the gap right away. La Salle slowly got the momentum back after Dy knotted the score at 11. By building a wall at the net and feasting on FEU's errors, the defending champs pushed ahead to a 2-0 edge in the contest.
It was the same story in the third period as the Lady Spikers climbed back from an early deficit. Guino-o fought hard to maintain FEU's lead but La Salle managed to overtake at 16-15 after Dy and Luna strung together four consecutive points. From there, it all went downhill for the Lady Tamaraws, with Guino-o unfortunately ending the set and the match with a service error.
"During eliminations, we had a difficult time against FEU. Now if we didn't get the first set, the result could be different. When they are moving well, they can sustain it. Even if we build a huge lead, we can't be sure against them," said La Salle coach Ramil de Jesus, whose team is now a win away from claiming their 11th title.
FEU will look to tie series when the best-of-three battle resumes on Wednesday at the Big Dome.