Arellano to defend crown vs first-timer San Beda

Arellano and San Beda took similar straight-sets routes to the NCAA Season 93 women’s volleyball Finals on Friday but for both teams getting there has different meanings.

For the Lady Chiefs, they earn a shot at defending the crown they won in dramatic and emotional fashion last season. For the Lady Red Spikers, they finally get to play in an NCAA title showdown.

Arellano swept past Jose Rizal University, 25-13, 25-20, 25-17, in their Final Four showdown while earlier in the day, San Beda took care of business against Perpetual Help, 25-21, 25-15, 25-23, at Filoil Flying V Centre.

The Lady Chiefs had their way with the Lady Bombers, hitting a hiccup only in the third set, when JRU took a 3-0 lead.

“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.”

But Andrea Marzan caught fire and powered Arellano to a 16-10 lead en route to the victory.

The Lady Red Spikers also struggled in the third set of their dual against the Lady Altas as they fell behind, 16-19. Even when San Beda overturned that deficit to take a 23-21 lead, Perpetual continued to fight on, tying the game at 23 after a miscue from Ella Viray.

But Sattriani Espiritu put San Beda at match point with a booming quick kill and Perpetual’s Jowie Albert Verzosa surrendered the winning point when she sent the ball straight to the net.

“This is a great feeling because all the hard work the team put into the tournament finally paid off,” said San Beda head coach Nemesio Gavino in Filipino. “I told the players to slug it out in the third set and I was confident that they can do it.”

“I know my players’ attitude and they will give it their all no matter who the opponent is.”

JRU also had a lot of fight in the third set of its duel with Arellano, coming to within 17-15. But the Lady Chiefs took control anew with three straight points.