De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and Arellano University will shoot for glory and history when they take on separate squads of Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Game 2 of NCAA Season 100 volleyball finals on Wednesday at the Filoil Centre.
The reigning champions Lady Blazers are out to close out the Lady Knights in their 2:30 p.m. clash to complete a rare four-peat run in the women's division while the Chiefs are eyeing to finish off the Knights in their 11 a.m. encounter to clinch their first-ever men's volleyball title.
Benilde and Arellano flaunted their might in Game 1, but both teams are under no illusion that it will be easy from here on out.
The Lady Blazers bucked a slow start after dropping the opening frame against hungry Lady Knights, but recovered in the next three sets to draw first blood with a 26-28, 26-24, 25-16, 25-19 win.
Third-year middle blocker Zam Nolasco fronted the offense and defense for the Taft crew, punishing the second-seeded Letran with eight blocks to finish with a game-high 21 points and allow Benilde to inch closer to a dream four-peat.
Good thing for Benilde is that Nolasco isn't lacking support with the likes of graduating Mycah Go, middle blocker Cristy Ondangan, and rising rookie Shahanna Lleses also running the show for the Lady Blazers.
The 6-foot Nolasco, though, knows closing out the series will be more difficult, especially against the same team that dealt them their first loss in five years when Letran pulled off a 25-22, 25-23, 26-24 sweep win last March 8.
"Siguro all out na lang. Lagi namang sinasabi sa amin ni coach na ngayong finals, i-all out namin kasi tsaka pa ba kami iiyak ‘pag wala na ‘yung goal na namin and ayun lang ‘yung tumatatak sa amin," Nolasco told GMA News Online.
"Mahirap 'yung Game 2 pero hindi naman imposible. All out na lang talaga kami, kumbaga parang wala nang bukas."
The same goes with Arellano, who is eyeing to hoist the NCAA men's volleyball crown for the first time in history.
The Chiefs are hoping to build on their Game 1 escape, where the wards of head coach Bryan Vitug carved a 27-25, 25-14, 22-25, 25-22 hard-fought win behind their veteran core made up of setter Adi Villados, Carl Berdal, Anfernee Curamen, Jiwen Sinuto, and AC Guinto.
Villados unleashed another strategic ball distribution, tallying 18 excellent sets that saw five Arellano players reach double-digit marks. Berdal paced them with 19 points while Curamen and Sinuto both grabbed 13 markers. Guinto and sophomore middle blocker Jake Pangilinan listed 11 points each.
The Chiefs, however, are expecting a huge fightback from the Knights come Wednesday's affair.
"Well, kailangan lang namin maging composed doon sa game para matapos na. Bawal mag-relax 'pag Letran ang kalaban mo kasi tinalo nga nila 'yung number one team (Benilde) so hindi dapat magpabaya," Vitug said.
"I remind them lang na one point at a time lang lagi kasi 'pag nag-look forward kami baka hindi makagalaw nang maayos."
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
