La Salle survives Nitura onslaught in 5-set win over Adamson as twice-to-beat race intensifies

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Bound for the Final Four for the 15th straight time, the La Salle Lady Spikers remain in the thick of the race for a twice-to-beat bonus after withstanding another 30-point performance by Adamson super rookie Shaina Nitura

MANILA, Philippines – La Salle weathered the Shaina Nitura storm and avoided the upset ax from Adamson.

Nitura turned in her sixth 30-point performance for the Lady Falcons, but the Lady Spikers escaped with a come-from-behind 25-19, 21-25, 22-25, 25-18, 15-4 victory in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, April 23.

Angel Canino and Shevana Laput both breached the 20-point mark, while rookie Shane Reterta rose to the occasion as La Salle, bound for the Final Four for the 15th consecutive time, remained in the thick of the race for a twice-to-beat bonus by improving to 9-4 and tying UST.

Nitura dropped 35 points for her fourth-highest scoring output of the season, although the Lady Spikers neutralized her in the last two sets.

Already with 29 points through the first three sets to help give Adamson a 2-1 lead, Nitura got limited to just 6 points in the final two sets combined as the Lady Falcons fell short of another upset after back-to-back stunners against semifinal-bound teams NU Lady Bulldogs and FEU Lady Tamaraws.

“That kid is so good, so unstoppable. But at the same time, our preparation included ways to stop Nitura,” said Canino in Filipino. “Knowing Adamson, Nitura is their main killer.”

“Fortunately, our blocking worked in the fourth set and the fifth set.”

Canino produced 22 points and 23 excellent receptions, while Laput posted 21 points built on 16 attacks, 3 aces, and 2 blocks as La Salle got back on track after a surprising loss to the UP Fighting Maroons.

While Canino and Laput delivered as expected, it was Reterta who stole the show as she scattered all of her 9 points in the fourth and fifth sets.

A Reterta attack put the Lady Spikers at match point before Lilay del Castillo hammered the win-clinching hit.

“I saw courage in Shane. She showed no fear when she entered the court,” said Canino of Reterta. “We saw that she wanted to bring the team to victory, which she did.”

Amie Provido also scored in double-figures for La Salle with 14 points, while Alleiah Malaluan chimed in 9 points as the Lady Spikers gained much-needed momentum for their last elimination-round game against the Lady Tamaraws on Saturday, April 26, at the Araneta Coliseum.

A win over FEU and a UST loss to NU will allow La Salle to clinch the second seed and the win-once incentive.

The game marked the fourth straight game Nitura scored at last 30 points, doing so against all Final Four teams as she dropped 37 points on the Lady Tamaraws, 32 points on the Lady Bulldogs, and 36 points on the Tigresses.

Nitura lacked sufficient support, with Frances Mordi ending up as the only other Adamson player in twin-digit scoring with 14 points.

Already out of contention going into the match, the Lady Falcons slipped to 5-8. – Rappler.com