Arellano University avenged its first-round loss to Emilio Aguinaldo College in emphatic fashion, pulling off a 25-15, 25-23, 25-19 victory on Wednesday in NCAA Season 101 men's volleyball at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila.
The Chiefs flaunted their balanced attack to earn a measure of revenge over their previous tormentor and clinch the Group B top spot with a 9–4 record, while the Generals slipped to third place at 8–5.
The victory also gifted the defending champions a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of the play-in game between San Sebastian College-Recoletos and Jose Rizal University from Group A.
It was a collective effort for the Chiefs as team captain Jiwen Sinuto led the charge with 12 points while Daniel Agovida and AC Guinto each chipped in 10 markers. CJ Dominguito had an all-around game with six points, six digs, and 15 receptions while setter Laurence Salvo dazzled with 20 excellent sets on top of four points and six digs.
The Chiefs made sure to get back at the Generals, who dealt them their very first loss this season last February 4.
Arellano started strong with a lopsided Set 1, closing it out with back-to-back hits from Guinto and Agovida. But the Generals kept it close in Set 2 with Jan Ruther Abor, the league's top scorer in the men's division, sending EAC to a slim 22-21 lead.
However, a quick kill from Jake Pangilinan and an attack error from the opposing team allowed Arellano to seize a 23-22 cushion before Sinuto buried a hammer from the opposite side to clinch the set point at 24-23. Guinto and Agovida then combined to deny Abor at the net, sealing the set and giving Arellano a commanding 2–0 lead.
Arellano never looked back in the third set, with Dominguito delivering back-to-back points to give the Chiefs a comfortable 19–13 advantage. A rotation error whistled against EAC then pushed Arellano to match point, 24–16.
Another Generals miscue, this time a service error from Abor, sealed the Chiefs’ straight-set victory.
Arellano effectively neutralized EAC’s attack as Abor was held to just 15 points, a far cry from his 36-point explosion the last time the two teams met, when the Generals eked out a five-set victory that snapped the Chiefs’ previously unblemished record.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
