Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
GRETHCEL Soltones got the job done again as San Sebastian nailed a quarterfinal berth in the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Collegiate Conference Monday at Philsports Arena in Pasig.
But it didn’t come easy for the Lady Stags, who survived a scare from Technological Institute of the Philippines, 25-22, 13-25, 25-18, 16-25, 15-7, to improve to 3-1 in Group A.
“It tested our character,” said San Sebastian deputy coach Clint Malazo.
Soltones erupted for 28 points, highlighted by a clutch game in the fifth set where the Lady Stags unleashed eight straight points to build a 13-4 advantage.
Katherine Villegas and Denice Lim, who also fired key hits in the final frame, finished with 11 points each.
In the second match, Ateneo downed Perpetual Help, 27-25, 25-13, 25-16, to pick up its first win in three games.
“We had a hard time because of our errors,” said Soltones, who unloaded 26 attacks.
Mylene Paat paced the Lady Engineers with 17 points, but it was her service error that sealed the match.
Despite slipping to 2-2, the Lady Engineers still have a shot at advancing to the next round.
Earlier, La Salle dealt National University its first loss, 26-24, 25-19, 18-25, 25-22, in the Spikers’ Turf Season 2 Collegiate Conference.
Raymark Woo and Cris Dumago teamed up for 37 points as the duo also accounted for 33 of the Green Spikers’ 47 kills.
The upset put La Salle into a three-way tie on top at 2-1 with NU and idle Far Eastern University in Group A.
In Group B, San Beda got past Emilio Aguinaldo College, 18-25, 18-25, 26-24, 25-21, 15-12, for its first win in three outings.
Yeshua Manliclic and Gerald Zabala combined for 24 points for the Red Spikers, who kept the Generals winless in three games.