Arellano University recovered from a Set 3 hiccup to complete a 25-12, 25-16, 23-25, 25-18 win against San Sebastian College-Recoletos in the NCAA Season 101 men's volleyball quarterfinals on Sunday at the San Andres Sports Complex.
The defending champions ran like a well-oiled machine in the first two sets before the Stags narrowly escaped them in Set 3 to extend the match. Arellano, though, broke away in Set 4 to oust the Stags and advance to the Final Four to keep its defense title bid alive.
Five Chiefs breached double-digit scoring with AC Guinto leading the balanced attack with 22 points and 10 digs while Jiwen Sinuto and CJ Dominguito chipped in 16 and 15 markers as they got their revenge victory over their group stage tormento Stags.
Middle blockers Daniel Agovida and Jake Pangilinan were also huge with 14 and 13 points each as setter Laurence Salvo orchestrated the offense with 35 excellent sets.
Graduating Kyle Villamor came alive in Set 3, breaking an 18-all deadlock to bring the Stags to a 23-19 lead. However, the Chiefs mounted a rampage behind Guinto, whose three straight points pulled Arellano to within one, 23-24.
Villamor then soared from the back row to finish it off and drag the Chiefs to a fourth set.
San Sebastian kept it close early in Set 4, but the Chiefs built a 16-11 cushion off a service ace from Guinto before Sinuto sent Arellano to a 20-16 advantage off a kill from the opposite side.
Sinuto, Guinto, and Agovida then buried the last three points to turn a 22-17 lead to a 25-18 victory, sealing the four-set victory and clinching a Final Four ticket.
Arellano will face the winner of the quarterfinals match between the twice-to-beat San Beda University and Mapua University.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
