Old rivals, new narratives.
De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and Colegio de San Juan de Letran each aim to etch their names in the sports history books as they dispute the NCAA Season 101 women’s volleyball title, with both teams chasing to write different stories.
Benilde is gunning for a rare five-peat championship, a feat achieved by only two teams in the past: San Sebastian College-Recoletos and, coincidentally, Letran. The Lady Stags achieved this twice, in 1992 and 2010, while the Lady Knights were the first to do so, ruling from 1978 to 1982.
Letran, meanwhile, aims to spoil Benilde's dream as it shoots for its first title since 1999, when the Lady Knights captured back-to-back championships to highlight their glory days.
Regardless, this best-of-three series is set to deliver a thrilling battle.
The Lady Blazers hold the advantage as they ride a four-year streak of dominant performances. This season, Benilde may have encountered challenges, but the squad under head coach Jerry Yee still looks as battle-tested as ever.
Zam Nolasco remains at the heart of Benilde alongside veteran opposite hitter Clydel Catarig and rookie star Cam Bartolome. Even twin sisters Shekaina and Shahanna Llesses have also been pivotal, alongside seasoned setter Chenae Basarte and their liberos, Fiona Getigan and Jessa Dorog.
However, the Lady Knights are making a strong case that this year could be different.
Letran went through 15 games without dropping any before losing to San Beda University in Game 2 of their Final Four clash. That loss only made the Lady Knights tougher, as they escaped the Lady Red Spikers in the clincher to book a return trip to the finals.
Like Benilde, Letran also features a solid and promising roster led by graduating libero Lara Mae Silva, whose scrappy floor defense has allowed spikers Judiel Nitura, Vanessa Sarie, and Gia Maquilang to shine in their respective positions.
In their lone match this year, Letran got the better of Benilde after pulling off a gritty 15-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-15, 15-10 win last February 22 behind Nitura, Maquilang, and Sarie.
Both teams know, however, that their impending finals showdown will be an entirely different story.
—JKC, GMA News
