De La Salle University won Game 3 versus Adamson University on Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan to win the first Shakey’ Super League (SSL) National Invitationals, adding another trophy to an already remarkable collection.
In the best-of-three championship match, the Lady Spikers displayed yet another outstanding performance, defeating the Lady Falcons in just 89 minutes of action to clinch a reverse sweep.
After losing Game 1 in five sets (25-22, 17-25, 25-17, 25-27, 14-16), La Salle rebounded with a decisive 25-23, 25-12, 25-18 victory. This set the foundation for their strong performance in the championship match, with several players making big contributions.
Four women scored in double digits, with Shevana Laput leading the way with 13 points from 11 hits and two blocks as the tournament MVP. La Salle’s victory from the previous UAAP season was carried over to the SSL.
Laput finished the finals with an average of 20.3 points, driven by a 30-point showing in Game 1 and an 18-point showing in Game 2.
Thea Gagate, league’s 1st Best Middle Blocker, Amie Provido, the 2nd Best Middle Blocker, and Alleiah Malaluan, the 2nd Best Outside Hitter, all scored ten points apiece to help La Salle win the 12-team SSL nationwide tournament, which was sponsored by the Commision on Higher Education (CHED) in collaboration with Victory Liner and Eurotel, the official league’s providers.
Early in the opening set, La Salle was behind 8–11, but they rallied for a 10–1 run that was completed by a block by Gagate to reclaim the lead at 18–12 and would win 25–19. They got off to a great start in the second set, leading by as many as 11 points.
The Lady Spikers were challenged by the Lady Falcons, who mounted a 15-5 comeback and reduced the score to 23-22 following a Malaluan error, despite having taken an 18-7 lead thanks to a Laput hit. But Provido’s strong blow and Gagate’s crucial block kept La Salle in the game with a tight 25-22 triumph.
From that moment on, La Salle maintained authority. They took the lead early on, 9–4, and finished strong to seal the historic SSL tournament that was sponsored by Potato Corner, Peri–Peri Charcoal Chicken and Sauce Bar, Mikasa, Team Rebel Sports, Summit Bottled Water, Genius Sports, and R&B Tea.
Lucille Almonte, who scored 24 points in the Lady Falcons’ thrilling Game 1 escape act, added 11 points to their admirable silver medal finish under new coach JP Yude.
A 2-0 victory over the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta secured the bronze medal for the University of Santo Tomas. UST individual awardees: Bernadett Pepito (Best Libero) and Angeline Poyos (1st Best Outside Hitter).
