Arellano University took the easy route to return to the championship round, taking down Jose Rizal University, 25-13, 25-20, 25-17,in the Final Four of the NCAA Season 93 women’s volleyball tournament Friday at Filoil Flying V Centre.
The only hurdle the Lady Chiefs had to overcome in the third set was the 3-0 deficit but the defending champions proved to the Lady Heavy Bombers they were in a class of their own.
“I told my players that we still don’t have the right to celebrate because we only won two sets,” said Arellano head coach Obet Javier in Filipino. “I told them to not let JRU go up to 4-0.”
Andrea Marzan gave Arellano a 16-10 lead heading into the final third of the last set and the Lady Chiefs just had to keep the Lady Heavy Bombers at bay.
After JRU trimmed the deficit to two, 17-15, the Lady Chiefs retaliated with three straight points with Sarah Verutiao denying Grace Verzosa with a well-timed block for Arellano’s 20-16 lead.
Regine Arocha then put Arellano at the 24-17 match point with a swift crosscourt kill before Annie Sibangan hit net in what became Arellano’s final point, and JRU’s last error, in the match.
Arocha led Arellano with 15 points while Marzan and Jovielyn Prado combined for 16 points.
Verzosa led JRU with 12 points while skipper Shola Alvarez added seven.