[UPDATE: An earlier version of this article previously reported that Letran had clinched a spot in the Final Four based on information from the NCAA’s official press release. The story has been updated to clarify that Letran is in the running for the Final Four, but not officially in yet.]
Arellano University is set for a return to the Final Four stage after taking care of its job against Jose Rizal University, 25-16, 25-16, 25-16 in the NCAA Season 99 women's volleyball tournament on Tuesday at Filoil EcoOil Centre.
The Lady Chiefs, who missed out last year's semifinals round following a string of Final Four appearances, needed a sweep victory to punch a Final Four ticket and join Benilde and LPU — and they delivered.
The win, which helped Arellano hike its record to 6-3, drawing even with Mapua University, which also has a similar 6-3 card, though the Lady Chiefs hold the edge in the tiebreak. JRU, meanwhile, ended its campaign at 1-8.
READ MORE | NCAA Season 99 Final Four Picture
Pau De Guzman took charge after pouring in 13 points while the towering duo of team captain Dodee Batindaan and Fhaye Mangubat chipped in 12 markers apiece with the latter unleashing five blocks of her total output.
But while they already achieved their first goal of making a Final Four homecoming, Arellano head coach Obet Javier said the job is still far from done.
"Masaya kasi 'yung ilang buwan o isang taon namin na pinaghandaan namin na target ay nakuha namin," Javier told GMA News Online.
"Pero 'di pa kami tapos. Meron pa kaming next target, which is 'yung sa stepladder so kailangan naming paghandaan 'yung Lyceum or Letran doon."
[We're happy because the target that we prepared for over months or a year, we were able to achieve... But we're not done. We still have plenty of next targets, which is the stepladder so we need to prepare for Lyceum or Letran.]
JRU posed a threat in the third frame when Cherish Dayame unloaded an open kill that cut the Lady Bombers' deficit to just five, 21-16, and forced Arellano to call for a breather.
But the Lady Chiefs responded with a 4-0 closing run fueled by back-to-back quick hits from Batindaan to deliver the match point at 24-16 before an attack error from JRU sealed it for Arellano.
The win allowed former three-peat champion Arellano to make a Final Four return after a sixth-placed finish in Season 98.
But they will have to go through a tough stepladder this time where they will take on Lyceum and either Letran or Mapua after Benilde clinched the top spot and an outright berth in the Finals with a 9-0 sweep of the elimination round.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
