Lady Altas stay in three-peat path as it outlast Lady Chiefs in NCAA 89 volley

MANILA, Philippines — Perpetual Help stayed in the path for a three-peat bid  by outlasting Arellano University, 25-22, 15-25, 25-21, 29-31, 15-8, Friday in the NCAA season 89 women’s volleyball semifinals.

Honey Royse Tubino and reigning MVP Norie Diaz teamed up in the deciding set as the Lady Altas secured the needed win to stay in contention for the two finals slots.

Tubino fired a career-high 31 points, while Diaz chipped in 21 points, including two service aces, and collected nine digs for Perpetual help.

“The players want to win this game. We worked hard for this, we studied our opponents and they showed heart,” said Perpetual Help mentor Sammy Acaylar.

Perpetual Help’s victory derailed the Lady Chiefs’ bid for a first-ever championship appearance and likewise stalled St. Benilde march to the finals.

Earlier Friday, the Lady Blazers overcame Gretchel Soltones’ 36-point showing and nipped Lady Stags, 25-21, 25-20, 11-25, 21-25, 16-14, for their second straight win the round-robin semis.

But St. Benilde is left with a must-win match over Arellano on Monday in the hopes of advancing to the final round.

San Sebastian, meanwhile, needs to topple down Perpetual Help, and hope that St. Benilde prevails over Arellano to force a three-way tie at 1-2, and get a favorable quotient to make it to the finals.

Jeanette Panaga had four blocks to finish with 15 points, Therese Veronas had four blocks for a 14 points while Jannine Navarro also tossed in 14 markers for the Lady Blazers.

“I told them that after the fourth set, it was not time to give up,” St. Benilde rookie coach Macky Clariño. “For the first time, they overcame their fear. The heart was there.”

Soltones, whose backrow attack went wide and cost the game for San Sebastian, easily surpassed the old mark of 33 points set by San Beda’s Janine Marciano in the eliminations.