Lady Patriots close PSL campaign with first win against CSA-Biñan, 3-1
The DLSU-D Lady Patriots refused to walk out of the Philippine Super Liga (PSL) Collegiate Grand Slam 2018 court in defeat as they routed the Colegio San Agustin (CSA) – Biñan Lady Eagles, 25-23, 25-18, 21-25, 25-16, on December 18 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Lady Patriot and team captain Eunice Castillo showed off with 16 points while Basilyn Delfin and Rain Ramos both contributed 14 points apiece. On the other hand, Lady Eagles Aliah Marce and Lency Duarte contributed 14 and 13 points, respectively.
The two teams exchanged their arsenals in the first set until CSA executed a 6-point rally at 16-20 and buried DLSU-D, 22-20. However, the first set still ended in favor of the Lady Patriots as they fought back with their own 5-1 run to secure their first set in the match and in the whole league with the score of 25-23.
In the second set, the Lady Patriots sent off the Lady Eagles without letting to lead with a final set score of 25-18. The Lady Patriots went all out after burying the Augustinians at a score of 18-12 to lock up the set.
The Lady Patriots fell at the third set, 21-25, as the Augustinians attempted to bounce back. CSA clinched the third set win after a 6-1 surge at 16-15 which prevented DLSU-D from attaining a sweep-set win with a score of 22-16. DLSU-D held tight and managed to comeback 23-21 but dropped the set thru Lady Eagle Duerte’s spike and an error in the last score.
The green-and-white squad led by as much as 20-9 in the last canto, but the Eagles tried to claw their way back with a 7-3 run hoping to prolong the match. DLSU-D sealed the victory in the fourth after Lady Patriot Castillo traded one final blow to the Eagles, 25-16.
The Lady Patriots are now more confident than ever despite bidding farewell to the league with a win-loss record of 1-4. Lady Patriot coach Joven Racelis said that even before competing in PSL, he already knew what good and bad feedback the team will encounter.
“Good benefits [na nakuha] ng team ay ‘yong exposure ng bawat isa. Tumaas ang confidence nila sa game through experience sa mga nakakalaban na team lalo na [‘yong mga] University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) teams na kung saan nando’n ‘yong mga idol nila. Bad feedback [naman] ay ‘yung mga sunod-sunod na talo natin sa UAAP team,” the coach said in an online interview with The HERALDO FILIPINO.
Despite the negative feedbacks, Coach Racelis said he and the team learned a handful of lessons from the league. “Sa isang banda natutunan ko dito sa ligang ‘to ay nakita ko ang weakness ng team. At ‘yon ay inaayos ko. Nagawa na ng team manalo [sa] last game natin sa PSL [kaya] tumaas na ang confidence at moral [nila] at isa lang [ang] pinagmulan no’n, ‘yon ay ang hard training. Aayusin [ko pa], pupunuan at karamihan back to basic proper skills. At kailangan dagdagan ‘yong oras ng training for perfection.”
The Lady Patriots will begin preparing for the PRISAA – Provincials tourney in January of 2019.
DLSU-D (3)
Castillo: 16, Delfin: 14, Ramos: 14, Del Rosario: 4, Carranza: 2, Pasco: 2, Wong: 2, Tono: 1, Parohinog: (L) Pena: (L)
CSA-B (1)
Marce: 14, Duarte: 13, Flores: 9, Rivera: 6, Torres: 5, Puzon: 2, Bernardo: 0, Duran: 0, Lacambra: 0, Parel: 0, De Leon: (L)
