DE LA SALLE University unleashed its frustrations on the University of the East, 27-25, 25-23, 17-25, 25-17, securing a breakthrough win in the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Tournament Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Eager to atone for a 0-4 start—the program’s worst in the Final Four era—the Green Spikers overcame a 30-point explosion from Raquim Aceron and a third-set stumble, powered by Chris Hernandez, Cameroonian middle blocker Issa Ousseini, and Eugene Gloria, en route to their first victory of the season.
With the triumph, La Salle improved to solo seventh place with a 1-4 win-loss record ahead of a clash against Adamson University—set to face the University of Santo Tomas as of publishing—on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
The Green Spikers had a challenging start to the campaign.
Aside from losing seniors Noel Kampton, Vince Maglinao, and setter Eco Adajar, La Salle was also without injured libero Win Retiro for a fourth straight match.
In the fourth set, La Salle immediately set the tone. A Hernandez off-the-block hit, two Yoyong Mendoza attacks, and a Mark Lee Budias miscue sent UE into an eight-point hole, 13-5, that proved insurmountable.
The Green Spikers maintained control from that point, as an Aceron service error, two attacks by Mendoza and Eric Layug, and a game-winning down-the-line attack from Gloria sealed the hard-fought victory in 1 hour and 55 minutes.
La Salle narrowly took the first two sets before UE forced a third-set comeback, winning 25-17 behind Aceron, CJ Nabora, and Gerald Perit.
Hernandez led the Green Spikers with 17 points, nine excellent receptions, and five excellent digs, while Gloria added 15 points on 14 attacks, eight excellent digs, and seven excellent receptions.
Ousseini contributed 15 points on nine attacks, four blocks, and two aces, while Layug chipped in six points on five attacks.
