Rocky Motol and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde won’t be denied this time around as they reasserted its mastery of Emilio Aguinaldo College, 25-16, 25-17, 23-25, 21-25, 17-15, in the NCAA Season 100 men’s volleyball tournament on Saturday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
The explosive rookie dropped 24 points, including six points in the deciding frame, to help the Blazers end a two-game skid and improve to 9-2.
The General slipped to 3-8.
The Blazers, who were coming off back-to-back losses to league-leading Mapua University in the first round and Jose Rizal University in the second round, first wasted a 7-5 lead in the fifth set after EAC unleashed three straight points capped by a Frelwin Taculog rejection to take a 8-7 cushion.
But Motol unloaded two consecutive kills from the back row to force a 10-all deadlock. EAC then regained a 12-10 advantage before a the Blazers retaliated and secured a crucial 13-12 cushion aftee two strong hits from Motol on the left wing.
Motol, though, committed a costly attack error that allowed EAC to knot it all up at 15-all.
Team captain Arnel Aguilar then soared for the open kill before Taculog’s attack went wide as Benilde completed the thriller.
Jacob Herrera provided the lift with 16 points while Aguilar had an all-around outing with 14 markers, 11 digs, and 11 receptions.
EAC, who was still without Jan Ruther Abor, relied on middle blocker Michael Gela and Taculog with the former pouring in 21 points while the latter churned out 15 markers.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
