The De La Salle University Lady Spikers took Game 1 of the UAAP Season 88 Women’s Volleyball Finals with a dominant straight-sets victory over the National University Lady Bulldogs on Wednesday, moving a win away from a potential season sweep.

The La Salle Lady Spikers needed only 1 hour and 37 minutes to dispatch NU, 25-23, 25-18, 25-18, to move within reach of their 13th championship and their first perfect season run since 2004.

Despite a 16-day layoff, La Salle showed no signs of rust, rallying from a 14-19 deficit in the opening set behind key plays from Amie Provido, Shane Reterta, Lilay Del Castillo, and Angel Canino to steal the frame, 25-23.

From there, the Lady Spikers seized full control, sustaining momentum through the second set before breaking the match open in the third. After trailing 0-4 early, La Salle unleashed a 9-0 run to bury NU and complete the sweep.

National University leaned on Arah Panique, who finished with 18 points, and Vange Alinsug, who added 12. However, the rest of the Lady Bulldogs struggled to keep pace, including rookie Sam Cantada, who was limited to two points.

La Salle head coach Ramil de Jesus acknowledged the challenge of returning from a long break but credited the team’s recovery and conditioning work during the layoff.

“There was both a disadvantage and [an] advantage to our break,” said de Jesus. “The first week was all recovery and rehab. Then we gradually returned to conditioning and tune-up games.”

The Lady Spikers are now one win away from clinching the title in a possible season sweep, while NU will look to extend the series in Game 2 on Saturday, May 9, where a victory would force a winner-take-all Game 3.

In the men’s division, National University also drew first blood in the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Volleyball Finals, surviving Far Eastern University in a hard-fought five-set win behind strong performances from Michaelo Buddin, Jade Disquitado, and Leo Ordiales, extending their bid for a sixth straight championship.