San Beda University dug deep to pull off a 20-25, 25-23, 18-25, 25-17, 25-17, 27-25 win in a grueling showdown with rival Colegio de San Juan de Letran to kick off the second round of NCAA Season 100 men's volleyball on Tuesday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.
The Red Spikers let a 14-11 lead slip in the final set but banked on defense in the endgame to eke out the victory and improve to 6-4 while the Knights fell to a similar 6-4 card.
Axel Van Book led the show with a double-double of 19 points and 17 receptions while Ryan Rosman provided the help with his 18 markers.
Middle blocker Anrie Bakil chipped in 16 points, including the game-winning block, while Ralph Cabalsa chimed in with 12 markers to end the Knights' three-game winning streak and earn a payback for their first-round loss.
San Beda raced to the match point when Bakil's push in the middle sent the Red Spikers to a 14-11 cushion. But the Knights refused to go home just yet with two-time Best Middle Blocker Vince Himzon fueling a 5-1 rampage that knotted the game at 15-all.
Himzon, though, had to be helped off the court after accidentally slipping and hurting his left foot at the 21-20 mark of the set. Still, Letran braved through and even tied things up again at 25-all after an Andrew Abeto kill.
San Beda, though, finished it off with Rosman dropping the ball and Bakil rejecting Christer Ambrocio on his outside attempt.
Himzon still led the Knights with 24 points anchored on 18 attacks and six blocks while Lorenz Vicente and John Derrick Bautista tallied 15 and 14 markers apiece.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
