NCAA beach volleyball: Perpetual Help teams stay unbeaten after Day 1

Perpetual Help Lady Altas in NCAA Season 98 women’s beach volleyball. –NCAA/GMA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Perpetual Help dominated day one of the NCAA Season 98 men’s and women’s beach volleyball tournaments at Subic, Zambales, on Tuesday.

Both Perpetual squads, both finalists in Season 94 but were unable to win the title, went undefeated to start tournament, which made its return after a three-season hiatus, and finished the opening day with identical 3-0 cards.

The Altas began their tirade with a 21-16, 13-21, 15-10 squeaker against Arellano. They quickly followed it up with a sweep of Letran in the afternoon, 21-17, 26-24, followed by another convincing victory against Jose Rizal University, 21-11, 21-17.

The Lady Altas, on the other hand, started the tourney’s first day with three consecutive sweeps. They fended off Benilde in the morning, 21-12, 21-14, and continued their dominance with a 21-15, 21-16 romping of the Lady Knights in the afternoon. They then finished the day with a trumping of JRU, 21-8, 21-12.

Defending women’s champion, San Beda, ended the morning games with a sweep of Arellano, 21-15, 21-19. 

San Sebastian also came away with a tight win to open the events with a three-set win over the Lady Pirates, 21-12, 19-21, 15-12.

Letran also started its season with a win over the Lady Cardinals, 21-13, 21-15, while EAC defeated JRU, 21-14, 21-14. St. Benilde then dealt Lyceum its second loss of the day with a 22-20, 21-18 squeaker win.

Mapua bounced back in the win column with a 21-13, 14-21, 16-14 triumph over the Lady Bombers while the Lady Generals remained undefeated with a convincing 21-10, 21-12 victory against Arellano.

Perpetual Help Altas in NCAA Season 98 men’s beach volleyball. –NCAA/GMA PHOTO

The Lady Blazers ended day one with a 2-1 record after successfully turning back the Lady Stags, 21-16, 21-15. The Lady Knights won their rivalry match against SBU, 21-18, 21-17.

If Letran won its rivalry affair with San Beda in women’s play, it was a whole other story in the men’s division as the Red Lions swept the Knights, 21-14, 21-14, in the day’s penultimate match.

San Sebastian opened the men’s event with a sweep of SBU, 21-17, 21-12. Letran, meanwhile, won its first game of the day with a 21-17, 14-21, 15-10 win against the Cardinals.

Defending kings of the sands, EAC blasted JRU in three sets, 21-16, 17-21, 16-14, to start its championship defense on a high note.

The Blazers also went out the gates firing with a sweep of the Pirates, 22-20, 21-18, as Arellano dealt the Red Lions their second loss of the day, 16-21, 21-18, 15-12.

Mapua bounced back in the afternoon with a 21-19, 24-22 dub against the Heavy Bombers. The defending champions, on the other hand, continued their smooth sailing after sweeping Lyceum, 21-14, 21-13. 

CSB also notched another win under its belt with a long 21-18, 30-28 grudge win against San Sebastian.