College of St. Benilde Lady Blazers. NCAA/GMA PHOTO
In case there are still those who are unsure of St. Benilde’s intentions on Friday, Gayle Pascual made it clear.
“The team wants to win the championship,” she said after the Lady Blazers’ Game 1 victory over the Lyceum Lady Pirates in the NCAA women’s volleyball championship series.
“We just need to do our work to finish the series,” she added.
Pascual and the Lady Blazers will roll up their sleeves on Friday as they hope to sweep the best-of-three affair when they clash with the Lady Pirates at 2 p.m. at Filoil EcoOil Centre.
Pascual shone in Game 1, dropping 15 points in St. Benilde’s 25-17, 25-19, 25-19 victory. But despite standing on the doorway of a championship repeat, the Lady Blazers understand that Lyceum is not just going to roll over.
Best setter
“Coach [Jerry Yee] keeps telling us that we still have a long way to go. There’s still Game 2,” Pascual, who was named Finals Most Valuable Player last year, said.
Skipper Cloanne Mondoñedo, a leader in the race for Best Setter honors in the individual awards that will be handed out at 10 a.m. on Friday, will also try to reprise her efficient playmaking that activated St. Benilde’s bevy of scorers like Michelle Gamit, Jade Gentapa, Zam Nolasco and Jessa Dorog. —INQUIRER SPORTS STAFF