Lady Spikers sweep Blue Eagles for share of top spot

MANILA, Philippines -- The twice-to-beat race is heating up, as the La Salle Lady Spikers forced a three-way tie for the top spot of the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tourney with a 25-12, 25-12, 25-18 sweep of rivals Ateneo Blue Eagles Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Thea Gagate carried the offensive load for La Salle with 16 points off 10 attacks and six blocks. Shevana Laput added 15 off of 12 hits and three rejections.

The defending champions showcased their mastery right from the get-go, scoring back-to-back easy wins in the first two sets.

In the third set, Ateneo was inching close, 16-21.

However, back-to-back-to-back errors gave the Lady Spikers an eight point lead, 24-16, capped by an attack error by Yssa Nisperos.

Nisperos though towed Ateneo closer with consecutive big attacks to go within six, 18-24.

Laput would end Ateneo's misery as she found the donut hole with an offspeed attack, 25-18.

Amie Provido chipped in seven for the Taft-based squad, with Alleiah Malaluan and Maicah Larroza providing six apiece.

Zel Tsunashima and Lyann de Guzman had six markers each for Ateneo.

La Salle, University of Santo Tomas and National University are all holding 11-2 win-loss records. Only the top two teams will have the coveted twice-to-beat advantage.

The Lady Spikers will face UST in perhaps the biggest game of the season next Saturday. NU, meanwhile, will face the fourth-seeded Far Eastern University in a possible preview of the Final Four on Wednesday.

The Blue Eagles will end their season against the Adamson Lady Falcons also on Wednesday.

The games will be held at the Big Dome.