University of Perpetual Help System DALTA made quick work of San Sebastian College-Recoletos, 25-16, 25-22, 25-18, to remain immaculate in the NCAA Season 99 men's volleyball tournament on Friday at Filoil EcoOil Centre.
Reigning Most Valuable Player Louie Ramirez poured in another double-double outing with 15 points and 13 receptions to help the ALTAs improve to 6-0 and inch closer to a Final Four berth.
The Stags, meanwhile, absorbed their second consecutive losses to go 3-3.
Assistant head coach Macky Carino, who was calling the shots in the absence of head coach Sammy Acaylar, said the victory was a huge boost to their four-peat campaign, especially with five players from the team set to graduate after the season.
Aside from Ramirez, also playing their final year are veteran setter JC Enarciso, middle blocker Michael Medalla, and liberos Paul Teodoro and John Pepito.
"Sobrang laki ng 6-0 kasi lima dito ay ga-graduate na so ito na 'yung last dance nila so kailangan talaga ang performance ay kung ano 'yung nasimulan namin na maganda ay i-end namin na extraordinarily," Carino told GMA News Online.
"Even them, every time na nasa dugout kami every game, ang gusto talaga nila ay manalo lang."
(The 6-0 card is very big because five of them are graduating so this is their last dance. We should continue our performance and end it extraordinarily. Even them, every time they are in the dugout, every game, what we want is just to win.)
But even with a perfect record so far, the ALTAs leave no room for complacency.
"Minsan may mga lapses pa rin lalo sa blocking but sa ibang department okay naman pero dapat ituloy-tuloy lang namin 'yung ginagawa namin," he added.
"Sa dulo dapat hindi kami bibitaw kasi mas humihirap na 'yung mga laban."
(There are lapses, especially in blocking, but in other departments, they are okay so just continue doing what is right. We should fight until the end because the fight is getting tougher.)
Jeff Marapoc provided the lift with 10 points and two digs while Kobe Tabuga chipped in nine markers, including the opposite kill that sent them to a 22-16 lead before they finished off the Stags.
Kyle Villamor led for San Sebastian with 14 points while Joshua Espenida and Lheann Yape each poured in nine and eight markers.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
