The ghosts of last year’s semifinals linger, but De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and Mapua University are out to turn that pain into fuel as they face off in the NCAA Season 101 men's volleyball finals.
Both the Blazers and the Cardinals suffered Final Four exits last season despite holding twice-to-beat incentives, falling to Colegio de San Juan de Letran and eventual champion Arellano University, respectively.
This year, however, the tables have turned.
Benilde and Mapua met the same foes in Season 101 semifinals, but the Blazers swept the Knights, while the Cardinals outlasted the Chiefs to arrange a finals showdown starting April 5 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Benilde is now eyeing its first title since 2017 while Mapua hopes to end a drought of more than two decades and deliver its first crown since the 2001-2002 season.
The Blazers and the Cardinals have taken different paths this season. Benilde won nine of their 13 preliminary round games, sealing the Group A second seed and securing a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals against Emilio Aguinaldo College.
The Blazers and EAC went the distance in that matchup, but Benilde ultimately prevailed in five sets to clinch a Final Four berth against the Knights. Once again, Benilde was pushed to the limit by Letran in Games 1 and 2, but on both occasions, the Taft-based squad held its ground to eliminate the Knights from contention.
It was the opposite for Mapua.
The Cardinals lost five of their first eight games before getting their act together to win four of their last five games, including a shocking 25-21, 25-21, 25-18 sweep win against Arellano.
That resurgence, though, was not enough for Mapua to clinch a playoff incentive as it faced San Beda University with a twice-to-win disadvantage. However, the Cardinals beat the Red Spikers twice to reach the Final Four.
Meeting Arellano in the Final Four once again, Mapua exacted sweet revenge after ousting the Chiefs in three games behind the tandem of Barbie San Andres and Arjay Ramos.
Mapua will need more than that against Benilde, who banners a fearsome lineup led by reigning MVP Rocky Motol together with Reymark Betco, Dexter Graniada, John Austero, Adrian Balbacal, and Chris Villanueva.
—JKC, GMA News
