Lady Stags outlast Lady Pirates, near NC sweep

SAN SEBASTIAN College rode on another strong game by Gretchel Soltones to turn back Lyceum, 20-25, 25-13, 25-11, 25-14, yesterday and move within one game of an elimination-round sweep in the 91st NCAA women’s volleyball at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The power-hitting Soltones, the reigning Most Valuable Player, unleashed a match-best 27 hits, including 24 on kills, as the Lady Stags nailed their eighth straight win. A sweep will mean an automatic finals berth.

A sweep will likewise give San Sebastian a thrice-to-beat advantage or a virtual 1-0 edge in a best-of-five title series while sending the next three teams into a stepladder semifinals.

“She carried us through again,” said San Sebastian Roger Gorayeb of the high-scoring Soltones, who fired 13 in a 25-11, 25-17, 25-15 victory over Letran last Tuesday.

“She really wants to win,” added Gorayeb.

San Sebastian will go for the sweep this Sunday against College of St. Benilde (5-1).

In men’s play, Lyceum trounced San Sebastian, 24-26, 25-21, 25-18, 25-21, in a no-bearing contest to end its campaign with a 4-5 card.

The Stags fell to 3-5.