By MARK REY MONTEJO
University of Perpetual Help completed its grand sweep of Arellano University with a nerve-wracking 19-25, 25-23, 24-26, 25-22, 18-16 victory in Game 2 to rule the NCAA Season 99 girls volleyball on Wednesday, May 15, at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
Jemalyn Menor and the Junior Altas girls displayed courage and resolve to defy odds plus great chemistry to become the second high school team to lord over the girls division in the country’s oldest collegiate league.
They won Game 1 also in five exciting sets, 25-22, 17-25, 26-24, 21-25, 15-13.
And just like the opening of their best-of-three title series, it was Menor who did most of the damage.
But she also got help from Sherrie Acosta, Jaja San Juan, Ashlee Buenaventura, Jasmine Monte and Janine Espiritu.
The Las Pinas squad head tactician Jason Sapin heaped praises to his wards as they refused to give up even after dropping the opening set.
“I saw in them the determination to win and become champions as they didn’t let go until the 5th set,” Sapin said.
“Then I told them, let’s not let the series go to Game 3, we have Game 1,” he added.
Fueled by being tagged as an underdog, the Junior Altas continued to awe as the girls shrugged off the pressure and took the two remaining sets to wrap up the contest.
The individual winners will be known on Sunday, May 19, which coincides with Game 1 of the men’s finals.
