By Kristel Satumbaga
Arellano and College of St. Benilde try to seal a title duel today when they clash with separate foes in NCAA women’s volleyball at The Arena in San Juan City.
Two-time defending champions Lady Chiefs battle the San Beda Lady Red Spikers at 2 p.m., while the top-seeded Lady Blazers collide with the University of Perpetual Help Lady Altas at 4 p.m.
Focus will be on the Arellano-San Beda tussle which is the rematch of last year’s finals with the Lady Chiefs sweeping the best-of-three series for the crown.
But San Beda exacted revenge early on Arellano with a 16-25, 25-17, 25-19, 18-25, 16-14 triumph last week, halting the Lady Chiefs’ eight-game winning run and denying them of an eliminations sweep.
San Beda’s victory also quashed Arellano’s bid for an outright finals entry.
Though relegated at No. 2 with a twice-to-beat semis incentive, Arellano is expected to go full force and get back on track in retaining the crown with Regine Arocha, Princess Bello and Necole Ebuen in front of its assault.
San Beda, on its part, will bank on Nieza Viray and Ces Racraquin after the duo spearheaded the squad’s crucial win last week.
In the other semis pairing, St. Benilde eyes a shot in the finals to inch closer to reclaiming the title they last won in 2015.
The fourth-seeded Lady Altas, for its part, aim to follow the footsteps of its men’s and juniors teams who are already in the finals.
Meanwhile, junior squads Letran and Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) raise the curtain at 10 a.m. while men’s teams Arellano and EAC square off at 12 noon in their respective knockout stepladder semis meeting.
