DLSU vs. FEU Season 71 15-Feb-2009

Why La Salle won:



1. Manilla (Illa) Santos simply took over althroughout when her teammates seemed to be struggling. Leading by example, as commentator Boom Gonzales said.
2. La Salle's floor defense really improved. Special mention to libero Melissa Gohing, and setter-spiker Cha Cruz.
3. The team's blocking was--as always--impeccable. Jacqueline Alarca was really a master at the net. Save for some--as in very few--spikes that got through because they were too powerful.
4. The players were intense. Michelle Datuin was seen trash-talking--in the subtlest way--the frontliner of FEU. Vivas in particular. Also, Illa Santos was seen celebrating every point her team scores as if it the last.
5. Although Celine Anne Hernandez scored only one attack--as of my unofficial count--which was the winning point in the fourth set, she provided the ceiling (the height) coach Ramil de Jesus wanted from his team. Quality minutes indeed.
6. The team's setter, Kaye Martinez, brought her A-game. No noticeable and glaring errors, and she even added the drop ball-on-the-second-touch in her arsenal (got a couple of points with it).
7. The La Salle players were, simply, more conditioned, more prepared, more focused than their FEU counterparts.





Why La Salle nearly lost:

1. Steph Mercado missed 4 out of her 5 serves. The last one became a good ball when they were in the lead in the fourth. Her nerves seem to get the best of her.
2. Santos, Alarca and other La Salle players also muffed their serves.
3. Poor reception in the third set, which FEU won.




Why FEU lost:

1. The pivotal error in the line-up rotation the FEU coaching staff submitted for the second set, which last won in a fairly easy manner comapred to the hard-fought first set.
2. FEU lacked the spark. The oomph, so to speak.
3. Mika Morada was very much not in her element.
4. The FEU players were weakened, I guess, by the not-successful blocked attacks they were giving La Salle.
5. Rachel Ann Daquis was also not in her best playing self although there were glimpses of her leadership and skills.
6. The FEU players may have gotten tired of all the chasing they did in the game (Law of averages, says Boom) because La Salle was always up, except for that lone third set when FEU led and won that set.