By Jerome Lagunzad
Games Tomorrow
(The Arena, San Juan City)
8 a.m. — Lyceum vs Perpetual (J)
9:30 a.m. — Lyceum vs Perpetual (M)
11 a.m. — Lyceum vs Perpetual (W)
12:30 p.m. — EAC vs Arellano (M)
2 p.m. — EAC vs Arellano (W)
3 p.m. — EAC vs Arellano (J)
Top contender St. Benilde made quick work of Letran, 25-22, 25-11, 25-20, yesterday to open its title campaign in the 93rd NCAA women’s volleyball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.
After a sluggish start, the Lady Blazers got their full groove in the second set and did enough in the third and final frame to frustrate the lackluster Lady Knights in just an hour and three minutes of play.
Skipper Ranya Musa sparkled on both ends with a team-high-tying 14 points, highlighted by 10 kills and three blocks, while Rachel Anne Austero spiked her 14-point showing with four service aces to help St. Benilde earn a share of the early lead with defending champion Arellano and perennial force San Sebastian.
Lady Blazers coach Arnold Laniog, however, was far from satisfied, saying:
“Sa first set, medyo struggle. Ang usapan namin, as much as possible, makuha dapat agad namin ‘yung momentum. Kaso nakita ko na parang nag-aantayan sila kung sino ang mag-i-initiate o magpu-push para gumalaw. Eventually naka-adjust na,” said Lanios.
With Musa firing on all cylinders and Austero doing the damage from the service line, the Lady Blazers showed glimpses of the lethal form that made them reach the Final Four last year, leaving the Lady Knights in a pile of mess.
No Lady Knight reached double figures in scoring, with Miracle Mhae Mendoza emerging as the top scorer with just five points from three kills and two blocks.
St. Benilde also completed a ‘triple-kill’ over its Letran counterparts, with the Blazers scoring a similar straight-sets victory, 25-12, 25-21, 25-18, in the men’s division while the Junior Blazers nailed a 25-15, 25-20, 19-25, 25-20 win in juniors play.
