Arellano University completed a day’s sweep to move within a win of a championship double in the men and women’s divisions of the NCAA Season 93 volleyball tournament.
The Lady Chiefs turned back San Beda in a gruelling five-setter, 25-15, 25-16, 15-25, 22-25, 15-6, to take a 1-0 lead in the women’s best-of-three title series on Friday at Filoil Flying V Centre.
Regine Arocha and Jovielyn Prado combined for 27 points for the Lady Chiefs, who are vying for a third championship in four years against a Lady Red Spikers side who are on their first finals stint.
“Early on in the third set, I could already see that we weren’t playing well,” Arellano coach Obet Javier said in Filipino. “Of course they still showed in the fifth set that they really want to win. And that’s what I want from them, which is the attitude that they always want to win.”
In the men’s finals, Arellano dealt Perpetual Help its first loss of the season with a stunning 12-25, 25-21, 19-25, 26-24, 15-9 decision.
The Chiefs—whose only loss in the eliminations was against the Altas—now have a shot at from winning their first title since joining the league seven years ago while spoiling what had been a flawless campaign for Perpetual Help.
Christian Dela Paz unloaded 24 points to lead Arellano and overshadow the efforts of rookie Most Valuable Player Joebert Almodiel, who dropped 18 points for Perpetual.