Lady Archers 'Big 3' show way in individual derby

MANILA, Philippines - De La Salle’s own “Big 3” of Abigail Maraño, Michelle Gumabao and Cha Cruz are lording it over in as many statistical departments prior to the holiday break in UAAP Season 74 women’s volleyball.

And that’s the reason why the Lady Archers are living up to their billing as the reigning champions as they are the only unbeaten squad in six games in the first round.

Based on the tournament’s official statistics group, TMX Sports, Maraño stood as the No. 1 contender for the Best Spiker award with a 44.94 percent success rate, ahead of Ateneo’s Dzi Gervacio with 40.91 percent and University of Santo Tomas’ Maika Ortiz with 40.69 percent.

Maraño is also running second in the scoring department with 97 points on 80 attacks, 13 blocks and four service aces, trailing UST’s Maru Banaticla who has 104 points on 92 spikes, seven service winners and five blocks.

Gumabao, daughter of former pro player Dennis Roldan, leads the blocking department with 0.73 average per set, while running second is Mayjorie Roxas of Far Eastern University with 0.61 and, again, Maraño with 0.59.

Cruz, on the other hand, has the highest efficiency rating in serves with a 0.77 average per set. Sheila Pineda of Adamson University is second-best so far with 0.61, followed by De La Salle rookie Ara Galang and Kite Rosale both of University of the East with similar 0.55 each.

The statistics were culled out of the first six games of the first-round eliminations, which end Jan. 7 at The Arena with the matches between FEU and NU at 2 p.m. and Adamson and Ateneo at 3:30 p.m. in the women’s contest, and the men’s games between Adamson and Ateneo at 9 a.m. and De La Salle and University of the Philippines at 10:30 a.m.

De La Salle leads the women’s contest with a 6-0 record, followed by Ateneo with 5-1, Adamson and UST with 4-2 apiece, FEU with 3-3, NU and UE 1-5 apiece and UP 0-6.

National University standout Cai Nepomuceno is the season’s third best scorer with 91 points on 81 attacks, eight blocks and two service aces. Ateneo skipper Fille Cainglet had 90 hits and FEU’s Rosemarie Vargas chalked up 86 to complete the top five.