'Birthday girl' Galang stars as La Salle dominates FEU

By Josiah Albelda Posted Jan 5th 2014

A performance befitting the birthday girl.

Reigning MVP Ara Galang turned in her best game of the young season, leading De La Salle University to an easy straight-sets win over Far Eastern University in the 76th UAAP women's volleyball tournament Sunday.

Galang, who turned 19 years old on Saturday, fired a game-high 18 markers as the Lady Spikers creamed the Lady Tamaraws, 25-19, 25-17, 25-16, at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The junior spiker feasted on FEU's defense to deliver 17 kills while her co-MVP in Season 75, Aby Marano, nailed five hits, four blocks and an ace for La Salle, who upped their record to 5-0.

The Lady Spikers have not lost a game since their Season 75 debut, stringing together 21 straight wins in the most impressive streak in recent UAAP volleyball history.

La Salle, who lost to the Lady Tamaraws in the 2013 Unigames, were focused right from the get-go, blitzing with a 19-8 burst to take the first frame, 25-19.

Galang then took over in the second set, helping the Lady Spikers come back from a slim deficit to move on the edge of victory with a 25-17 victory.

Sensing blood, the Taft-based squad did not let up in the third frame to open 2014 with a bang and gain more momentum into their much-awaited showdown with bitter rival Ateneo de Manila University.

The Lady Spikers and the Lady Eagles meet for the first time this season on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Rookie Geneveve Casugod paced FEU with eight points highlighted by three blocks but usual suspects Bernadeth Pons and Rem Palma struggled with just six markers apiece.

The loss sent the Lady Tamaraws to 2-3.