Angel Canino and the rest of the DLSU Lady Spikers are sparing no effort in regaining their formidable form in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament.
The De La Salle Lady Spikers are slowly turning into the team the rest of the UAAP teams fear heading into the 86th season.
The defending champions showcased their might with a straight-set rout of the UE Lady Warriors on Wednesday. And Angel Canino looked every inch the reigning Rookie-MVP for the green-and-white.
Canino flaunted her all-around brilliance to the tune of 17 points, nine digs, and seven receptions, leading the Lady Spikers to a 4-1 record for joint second place with the NU Lady Bulldogs.
Still, despite the dominant showing, La Salle is still far from where it wants to be.
"Yes. Slowly po, nire-regain namin 'yun lahat as a team," Canino said when asked if the Lady Spikers are getting to top form.
"Kailangan pa namin talagang mag-jell as a team. Kailangan namin 'yung kumpyansa sa sarili, para mabigay 'yung lahat sa team, at para mag focus kami sa team."
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Nonetheless, Canino is pleased to see the rest of the Lady Spikers regain their footing, after suffering their first defeat at the hands of the league-leading UST Golden Tigresses.
"'Yung talo na ‘yun, ‘yun 'yung naging biggest hugot namin this season," Canino bared.
La Salle laid its stinging five-set loss to the UST Golden Tigresses to rest, starting with a vengeful sweep of arch-rival Ateneo Blue Eagles last Saturday.
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The Taft-based squad then followed it up with a sweep of UE, where Thea Gagate and Shevana Laput anchored above the net to contain Casiey Dongallo to the lowest output of her stellar rookie run at 15 points.
Alleiah Malaluan and Amie Provido also made their towering presence felt in their second straight win while the rest of the Lady Spikers stepped up in other departments.
"Siyempre, sobrang tuwang tuwa rin po ako kasi may time sila to shine also. Natuwa rin ako sa part na nag-contribute din sila pag pasok nila. Malaking factor 'yun samin as a team," Canino expressed.
Canino and the rest of the Lady Spikers seek to sustain their dominant form when they collide with the win-hungry UP Fighting Maroons on Sunday, March 10.
The match will be aired on One Sports, the UAAP Varsity Channel, and the Pilipinas Live app.