Arellano University recovered from a first-set hiccup to reassert mastery over Mapua University with a 21-25, 25-23, 25-17, 25-13 win in Game 1 of NCAA Season 100 men's volleyball Final Four on Tuesday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.
The Chiefs, who dealt Mapua its first loss of the season back in their second-round clash, again leaned on AC Guinto, who poured in an all-around performance of 19 points on 14 attacks laced with four blocks and one ace as they dragged the second-seeded Cardinals to a winner-take-all Game 2 on Friday.
The third-year Guinto got solid help from other starters with veterans Carl Berdal and Jiwen Sinuto chipping in 13 and 11 markers apiece. Berdal also added four digs and 13 receptions to help the cause.
But the revelation was sophomore middle blocker Jake Pangilinan, churning out an impressive 11-point outing that was highlighted by three monster blocks late in the fourth set that paved the way for the stunner.
"Sa first set po 'yung galaw namin parang stiff, kinukuha pa po namin 'yung tempo namin," Pangilinan told GMA News Online.
"Nagusap-usap po kami kung paano namin maso-solve 'yung problem namin nu'ng first set para sa next sets makuha na po namin 'yung laro namin."
[In the first step, our movement was kind of stiff, we were just getting our tempo down... we all spoke about how to solve the problem in the first set so that in the next sets we find our game.]
After losing the opening frame, Arellano crawled its way back with Guinto unleashing two blocks late in the second set before Berdal put the punctuation as they leveled the affair to one set apiece.
The Chiefs then opened the third canto with a hot 4-0 start before Guinto served an ace to make it a 20-11 lead. Sinuto soared from the opposite side for the set point at 24-17 while an error-plagued Mapua committed an attack error to secure the set.
Mapua struggled to recover from its offensive dry spell as Arellano built a 15-9 cushion on a one-two dunk from setter Adi Villados before Pangililnan impose his will at the net, unloading three straight blocks to finish it off.
The 20-year-old middle blocker denied Ar-jay Ramos and Ramil Gripo on two successive plays before putting the roof anew on Ramos to help Arellano establish a massive 23-13 advantage.
Guinto went for the cross-court kill for the match point before Barbie San Andres' attack error triggered the four-set victory for Arellano.
San Andres paced Arellano with 23 points laced with 20 receptions while Olsen Jamisola and Ramos chimed in with 13 and 12 markers apiece.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
