Now it get’s exciting. After the first round, three teams are tied for second. Wow this is really going to be an exciting season. Who knows come the end of eliminations, three teams will be log jammed for second. This is really looking good.  Teams usually change their games, first six, heck even their uniforms come second round. Second round is just like a thriller round. Because of teams wanting to win more and to elevate their performance, games become much more exciting. Upsets happen and tiebreaks usually happen. More painful losses and sweeter wins happen in this round. So prepare for some second round thriller.

THE GREEN CORNER #3: THRILLER

Written by: Jannie Gavile and Benj Zabat

Here we go again. Back to first game. We have very exciting opening games in the second round mind you. We have UP vs NU (yes, you read it right! they will face again), UE vs FEU, UST vs ADMU and DLSU vs AdU. Prepare for a possible all-5-setter weekend. I’m sure this coming weekend will be a blast for all of us volleyball fans.

NU-UP

First Round Encounter: UP def. NU, 25-23, 22-25, 25-22, 21-25, 15-12

Perhaps one of the most exiting match over the past week, the Lady Bulldogs from the Natonal University and the Lady Maroons from the University of the Philippines duked it out on a thrilling five setter game only to the delight of us volleyball fans. So, after seeing NU greatly improving, their performance on tight, five-set matches have been in question since they have dropped their previous outings (which was also a five-setter match) against the Lady Warriors and recently to the Lady Maroons. You see, you would not call their peformance bad, it is just that they lack these things namely: good setting, “other” reliable hitters aside from Mangui and the ability to close out a game because it is evident they can do it, they just cannot close the game. Seeing the good things though, their solid floor defense and a dependable attacker in the form of Mangui and from Nepomuceno of late has been keeping the team in good chances. On the other side of the court, the Lady Maroons from UP surprised volleyball fans everywhere when they almost stole a set from a very solid Adamson. As we have seen in their previous  games,  if only they can get consistent  blocking and attacking teamed-up with a decent floor defense would yield good results. If only the Lady Maroons would be more persevering in their floor defense, be more aggressive in their attacks then, things would certainly look good from them. Again, I would see that this game would push the boundaries and it would be a toss-up between these two teams.

DLSU-AdU

First Round Encounter: DLSU def. AdU, 25-15, 25-17, 25-20

One of the most anticipated match this second round, the unblemished record of the Lady Spikers again as they face one of this year’s top contenders for the UAAP  season 72 women’s volleyball championship, the Lady Falcons from Adamson.  Having seen what the ladies from DLSU did, surely what they have achieved thus far, only losing two sets in the entire first round but, seeing how the Lady Falcons are peaking, they are really becoming more dangerous. Their famed floor defense has been no doubt one of their key assets for reaching whatever they have. Thing is though, the team is having a difficulty maintaining their composure if they are up against a tall and good blocking team. As what we have seen in their recent outing with the Tigresses of UST, the Falcons cannot quite keep up especially if their best attackers, Angela Benting and Paulina Soriano are already checked. The team needs to find creative ways on how they can keep scoring consistently. La Salle however has a weapon on their arsenal which is quite different on the Falcons’ which is namely: blocking which has been keeping them on top tagged along with contributions from almost everyone from the first six and even from the bench has kept them solid; add to that a good dose of a good dose of healthy swagger and you have the DLSU Lady Spikers. However, having said that it is still noticeable that their floor defense the girls’ digging still needs to improve and the plays should even be more distributed if not create new plays to confuse their opponents. In the end though, if DLSU can maintain their winning attitude and superb blocking, I will them win in around 4-5 sets.

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