UST Tigresses in their game against La Salle Lady Spikers in the UAAP Season 86 Women's Volleyball Tournament. –UAAP PHOTO
De La Salle University (DLSU) and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) will see a lot of each other in the coming weeks, and whether that starts with Angel Canino's comeback game for the defending champion Lady Spikers on Saturday is the bigger question than the result of the game itself.
From the last five games, but seen involved in warm-ups for the last time, Canino must finally suit up for the 6pm game against the Golden Tigresses at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and once again make La Salle the feared team in the 86th season. of the UAAP women's volleyball tournament.
Meanwhile, Santo Tomas was never expected to get this far with a courageous team full of youngsters, and coach KungFu Reyes has no qualms about the role his charges have played so far.
“This game will decide where we will be,” Reyes said in Filipino, as Santo Tomas and La Salle broke their tie for second place and the right to play with the privilege of two losses in the Final Four. “Between the three teams (with National University and La Salle), we were labeled as gatecrashers from the beginning.
“We have no problem with that and would like to play that role.”
Logical time?
With the Lady Bulldogs already guaranteed the top spot in the standings and the first Final Four bonus because of a superior tiebreaker total, the winner of the final game of the knockout round will finish as the second seed and face the loser in the semifinals. .
And for La Salle, this seems like the most logical time to bring Canino back, just to ensure the team has all hands on deck for the most crucial task of the season.
“Her recovery is going well,” La Salle assistant coach Noel Orcullo told Philippine media after defeating Ateneo last weekend when Canino finally warmed up. “I hope she can return, if not against UST, then definitely in the semi-finals.”
The Lady Spikers' only loss during Canino's absence was against the Bulldogs, as Shevana Laput and Thea Gagate assumed scoring responsibilities and on-field leadership roles for La Salle.
“The only thing we need to do is have the will to win,” continued Orcullo. “We’ve been telling our players that if someone is out, someone has to step in and just trust the system.”
With Canino's return, La Salle will have its best shooter and its most vocal leader.
Meanwhile, Santo Tomas lost two games in the second round but will look to repeat their five-set first round win over the Lady Spikers.
Rookie Angge Poyos appears to be back in top form judging by how she played last time out, and the Tigresses have a steady supporting cast for their prolific scorer led by Regina Jurado, Jonna Perdino and Cassie Carballo.
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The University of the Philippines and the University of the East battle for pride in the 2 p.m. game.
