Laput, Kampton shine as La Salle tops Ateneo in UAAP volleyball

De La Salle University asserted its dominance in UAAP Season 87 volleyball, securing victories in both the men’s and women’s divisions against archrival Ateneo de Manila University on Wednesday, March 12, at the SM Mall of Asia.

In the women’s match, Shevana Laput delivered a career-high performance, scoring 25 points to lead the Lady Spikers to a 25-15, 25-14, 20-25, 25-19 victory.

With 19 attacks, three blocks, and three aces, Laput spearheaded La Salle’s third consecutive win, improving their record to 4-2. Angel Canino contributed 17 markers, while rookie setter Mikole Reyes recorded 20 excellent sets.

Despite Ateneo taking the third set and an early 8-4 lead in the fourth, La Salle regained control behind Laput’s explosive plays, sealing the win after two hours and 14 minutes. The victory marked the Lady Spikers’ 15th straight win over Ateneo since the Season 79 Finals in 2017.

Meanwhile, in the men’s division, Noel Kampton erupted for 27 points as the Green Spikers overcame Ateneo in four sets, 20-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-22. La Salle’s third consecutive win pushed them to a 4-2 record, tying University of Santo Tomas (UST) for third place.

"We were super motivated to win today because we were fighting for our pride—this is about school pride. This is also a huge morale boost since we defeated our rival school,” Kampton said after his impressive performance, which included 23 attacks, three blocks, an ace, six excellent receptions, and five digs.

Ateneo showed resilience, taking the opening set and keeping the match tight, but Kampton’s clutch plays in the fourth set helped La Salle secure the victory. 

With their wins, both La Salle squads remain in strong contention as they prepare for crucial matches. The Lady Spikers will take on Far Eastern University (FEU), while the Green Spikers will face the unbeaten Tamaraws on Saturday, March 15, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Ateneo, struggling with injuries in the women’s division and inconsistency in the men’s, dropped to 1-5 and 3-3, respectively. 

Lyann de Guzman and AC Miner led the Blue Eagles’ women’s team with 16 and 13 markers, respectively, while Ken Batas (22) and Jian Salarzon (19) carried the men’s squad in the losing effort.

Ateneo will aim to bounce back when both teams take on the winless University of the East (UE) on Saturday as well.