By Lance Agcaoili
COLLEGE of Saint Benilde (CSB) squeezed past San Sebastian College, 24-26, 25-21, 25-19, 25-13, on Tuesday to turn the women’s volleyball finals of the 91st National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) women’s into a best-of-three affair at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan City.
“It’s a big boost for us because we’re already even. We just have to do better in our second game,” Lady Blazers Head Coach Macky Carino said.
The Lady Stags swept the eliminations for a thrice-to-beat advantage in the championship. They only need to beat the Lady Blazers twice to bag the crown.
Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) also drew first blood in the men’s final with a convincing 25-22, 14-25, 25-14, 25-16 victory over University of Perpetual Help.
The reigning NCAA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Howard Mojica led the Generals with 22 hits off 17 spikes, four blocks and an ace, while Kerth Melliza and Hariel Doguna chipped in 12 points each. Setter Nicco Bihag paced the team with 26 excellent sets.
Perpetual Help beat EAC, 25-13, 25-18, 25-16, also on Tuesday to move a win away from clinching the juniors title.
Team captain Jody Margaux Severo led the Junior Altas with a match-best 11 hits, six on kills and four on blocks. The Las Piñas-based school could wrap it all up in Game Two on Friday. A deciding Game Three, if necessary, is on Tuesday next week.
CSB ganged up on reigning MVP Grethcel Soltones with Jeanette Panaga and Janine Navarro negated the 27-hit performance of the power-hitting San Sebastian ace. Panaga and Navarro combined for 42 points in the match.
Panaga and Navarro shone the brightest in the last three sets.
“We adjusted after that first set,” Carino said.
It was CSB’s third-straight victory after the elimination round, surviving a pair of sudden-death matches against Perpetual Help and last year’s titlist Arellano University in the stepladder semifinals.
Panaga put up a stellar showing offensively and defensively and wound up with nine kills, eight blocks and six service aces for 23 points. Navarro delivered 19 on 16 spikes, while Ranya Musa added 10. Team captain Djanel Cheng had 25 excellent sets.
“Our blocks were the factor in this win,” Carino said. “After our game against Arellano, I really focused on blocking.”
Soltones exploded with 27 points on 26 attacks in a losing effort.
“I told them [Generals] to be ready because anything could happen,” EAC Head Coach Rod Palmero said. “So what happened today is the fruit of our hard work.”
Despite the victory, EAC committed 41 errors compared to Perpetual’s 30.