Canino: Championship heart carries La Salle versus NU
FOR Angel Canino and the De La Salle Lady Spikers, their five-set loss to the UST Golden Tigresses on February 25 in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena is already enough.
The defending champs learned that no lead was ever safe as they crumbled in the fifth set and paved the way for the Golden Tigresses to take the 25-18, 25-23, 14-25, 16-25, 15-12 win.
Thus, when they found themselves leading the NU Lady Bulldogs 12-9 in another deciding frame at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, March 16, reigning MVP Canino said the Lady Spikers knew they can’t be complacent against the very team they faced last year in the finals.
La Salle continued playing hard until Shevana Laput delivered the killer blow as the Ramil de Jesus-mentored team came back from 0-1 and 1-2 set deficits to roll to its fourth straight win.
“We can’t be satisfied with our lead like what happened in our game against UST, we were leading [in the fifth set] but we still lost. That’s our biggest lesson,” said Canino, whose Lady Spikers improved to second place with a 6-1 slate.
“And when we find ourselves down in sets, we need to continue fighting with all that we have. We have to show our heart,” added Canino who fired 17 points against NU.
Learning from that loss is tied to the championship pride and winning tradition of the Lady Spikers program.
“As champions, we have to show who we really are and that includes La Salle’s winning history. The La Salle program has been proven and we need to honor that and live up to that legacy,” said Canino, whose La Salle has won 12 overall championships all under coach de Jesus.
Laput and Amie Provido, who racked up 20 and 14 points, respectively, echoed Canino’s sentiments.
“I guess it was the pride, you know? They were second last year so we have to show that we won that championship for a reason. It’s also just playing my best, doing my game. That’s all I can say. You know, it’s the Lasallian spirit, puso [heart], animo. That’s all I can say. Just the pride of our school,” said Laput.