La Salle finds way to SSL finals

MANILA, Philippines —   Unbeaten La Salle escaped with a thrilling 26-28, 25-19, 25-20, 21-25, 15-13 win over Santo Tomas to barge into the finals of the Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship Wednesday night at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Former UAAP MVP Angel Canino and SSL National Invitationals MVP Shevana Laput formed a lethal duo to take the Lady Spikers home and closer to redemption after a runner-up finish to back-to-back champion National U in the inaugural season.

La Salle, undefeated in eight games, will face either rival NU or fellow unbeaten Far Eastern U in the best-of-three finals starting next Friday.

Laput fired 19 points on 15 hits, two aces while Canino had 17 on 16 attacks for the wards of coach Ramil de Jesus.

Sister of PBA cager James Laput from Magnolia, the 6-foot-2 Laput scored four in the decider.