No hard feelings for streaking St. Benilde despite NCAA termination

NCAA Season 95 women’s volleyball action. INQUIRER PHOTO\AUGUST DELA CRUZ

St. Benilde’s Lady Blazers were leading the NCAA Season 95 women’s volleyball competition with a 7-0 slate and were serious challengers to Arellano’s “four-peat” bid when everything ground to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But coach Jerry Yee is not ruing the missed opportunity.

“The pandemic is surely bigger than volleyball,” Yee said via an emailed statement Friday. “The more days we are in social distancing, the more time you get to think, all the more we are informed of the actual situation. And if the NCAA Board thinks this is the best course of action, we have to follow.”

The Lady Blazers had been cruising in the current tournament, racking up win after win behind the core of Klarisa Abriam, Maritess Pablo and Diane Ventura. But the termination of the season meant that Arellano gets to extend its reign as women’s champion.

Still, Yee sees this season as a win.

“This Season 95, [we consider] our campaign victorious and we can only look forward to next season,” said Yee. “We just hope we can get through this pandemic.”

Indeed, with the NCAA mulling on stretching players’ eligibility to next year, Yee and the Blazers have a lot to look forward to next season.

“We are very optimistic … and excited,” he said. “The team’s morale is high and everyone is safe home.”