Defending champion Perpetual Help overpowered Lyceum of the Phl U, 25-21, 25-18, 25-22, yesterday to even up their series in the juniors division of the 92nd NCAA volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan City.
Ivan Encila paced the Junior Altas with 11 hits including 10 off spikes while Ryuji Condrad Etorma and Marvien Castillo scattered 10 points apiece to help the Junior Altas negate the thrice-to-beat advantage of the Junior Pirates and reduce the series a virtual best-of-three showdown.
LPU clinched the finals incentive after sweeping the elimination round in seven matches while Perpetual had to beat Emilio Aguinaldo twice in the stepladder semis to make it this far.
Perpetual Help coach Sandy Rieta said it was all about heart.
“I kept telling my players who won last year because we showed heart and I’m happy they responded by playing well in this game,” said Rieta in Filipino.
The Las Piñas-based school also avenged its 25-19, 25-20, 22-25, 24-26, 12-15 defeat to LPU in their elimination round meeting in a match where the former took the first two sets only to collapse the rest of the way.
The Junior Altas made sure there will be no breakdown this time.
“We learned our lesson,” said Rieta.
Perpetual Help is eyeing a three-peat and its ninth championship overall, the league’s second most behind San Sebastian’s 15.
Games Two and Three are set on Friday and Tuesday, respectively.