La Salle coach Ramil De Jesus during a game against Ateneo in UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — What was once an intense rivalry in UAAP women’s volleyball, has turned into predictable one-sided affairs with La Salle on the winning end.
Wednesday’s Ateneo-La Salle clash was no different with the Lady Spikers rolling past the Blue Eagles anew, 25-15, 25-14, 20-25, 25-19, in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament at Mall of Asia Arena.
Longtime La Salle coach Ramil De Jesus said Ateneo’s lack of a surefire offensive weapon like Alyssa Valdez in the past has been one of the main reasons why the rivalry with the Blue Eagles died down.
READ: UAAP: Laput keeps La Salle on winning side of rivalry with Ateneo
Coach Ramil De Jesus talks about the Ateneo-La Salle rivalry. #UAAPSeason87 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/ITRIFnCTxr
— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) March 12, 2025
“Sa ngayon kasi parang hindi ko nakikita ‘yon (competitive Ateneo-La Salle rivalry) kasi yung Ateneo parang walang go-to guy, ‘yon yung nakikita ko kasi that time si Alyssa, bigay mo lahat kay Alyssa ‘eh, and bubuhayin na ni Alyssa ‘yon,” said De Jesus after steering La Salle to its 15th consecutive win over Ateneo dating back to Game 1 of the UAAP Season 79 Finals in 2017.
During her time with Ateneo, Valdez took the rivalry with La Salle to greater heights. She led the Eagles to a pair of UAAP titles both at the expense of the Lady Spikers in Seasons 76 and 77 while winning three Season MVP plums and one Finals MVP award.
Although La Salle dominated Ateneo, 25-15, 25-14, 20-25, 25-19, for its third straight victory, De Jesus said the Blue Eagles’ balanced offense still makes them a dangerous team to play against.
“Ngayon, parang walang Alyssa doon sa Ateneo or even yung team lang ng Ateneo kaya distributed lahat yung bola. Kaya hindi ko masasabi na yung Ateneo na hindi mo puwede balewalain kasi distributed yung bola. Before kasi si Alyssa lang babantayan mo,” said the 12-time UAAP champion mentor.
De Jesus also said he didn’t put too much thought into the rivalry as he simply focused on how to help his team win another game.
“Hindi ko tinitignan ‘yon sa ngayon dahil ang importante sa amin ay makakuha ng panalo kasi malayo na masyado yung No. 1 and No. 2. Huwag lang dapat kami magpaiwan at sana maipilit namin maihabol hanggang sa top four,” he said.
READ: UAAP: Disappointment over latest win sends La Salle back to training
“Doon na lang siguro. ‘Yon na muna goal namin. Kahit sino pa kalaban namin, Ateneo ‘man yan or ibang teams, kailangan talaga paghandaan kasi nandoon na lahat ‘eh, wala ka nang pipiliin pang kalaban kasi lahat sila competitive.”
De Jesus urged his wards, especially rookie setter Mikole Reyes, to believe in themselves.
“Every practice, ginagawa namin na maging pulido yung galaw. During training, gusto namin maminimize yung error, and then mapolish yung attack then yung mga combination play tsaka maperfect yung mga receive. Sa practice namin, lumalabas naman ‘yon nasa 80 percent na kaya gawin, pero pagdating sa game kasi may pressure na,” said De Jesus.
“Talagang doon mo malalaman yung medyo matibay yung dibdib ng players mo [at] kung kaya i-execute yung ginagawa sa training. Sa ngayon, may makikita kang ganoon na resulta sa training. Merong may makikita kang ganoong resulta sa training, inaantay ko na lang lumabas sa game at maging consistent sa ganon.”
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De Jesus and La Salle close out their first round campaign with a duel against Far Eastern University on Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Lahat naman ng teams, nire-review namin at pinapagaaralan namin kung ano bang advantage ang pwede namin makuha sa kanila at bibigyan namin ng magandang laban ang FEU,” he said.
