UNDEFEATED University of Santo Tomas (UST) and College of Saint Benilde (CSB) set up a championship clash after sweeping their respective rivals in the knockout semifinals of the Shakey’s Collegiate National Invitationals on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Golden Tigresses bagged their sixth straight win in as many games after a quick work of Letran, 25-10, 25-19, 25-12, for a breakthrough finals appearance, while the Lady Blazers crushed Australian guest team Southern Storm Melbourne, 25-19, 25-23, 25-11.
The winner-take-all championship is slated Sunday at the Playtime FilOil Arena in San Juan.
Camila Bartolome paced the Lady Blazers, who also beat the Australians in their elimination round meeting last Thursday in four sets, with 14 points on 12 kills, one ace and one kill block.
‘I think our composure led us to the victory…even though our coaches are mad at us, we still kept out poise,’ Bartolome said.
Fionna Inocentes finished with 11 points while Mhonniecka Soliven and Mary Grace Borromeo added eight and seven points each for CSB.
Team captain Regina Jurado smashed 11 of her 12 points on attacks and added three digs to lead the UST, which hammered the Lady Knights with 32 kills.
‘I don’t give in to the pressure of being the team captain,’ Jurado said. ‘I can play my game freely with the team.’
Marga Altea led UST’s block party as the Golden Tigresses scored 11 kill blocks to frustrate Letran.
Altea had four kill blocks to go with nine kills to finish with 13 points while Poyos scored 10 in the penultimate playdate of the tournament.
The Tigresses uncorked a 9-2 blast to turn a slim 11-8 lead in the third set into a 20-10 advantage with Jurado scoring off a kill to give UST a 22-11 lead.
Leonilyn Padilla answered for Letran before the Tigresses scored the match’s closing three points capped by the Lady Knights’ last of 27 errors.
No Letran player reached double-figure scoring with main gunner Verenicce Colendra limited to only seven points.
Reeza Abayon added five for the Lady Knights, who will try to salvage a podium finish on Sunday erun Colleges swept Ho Chi Minh City Volleyball Club, 25-19, 25-17, 25-19, to finish fifth.
Jasmine Salvani led Enderun’s assault by pounding 10 kills and landing five aces in a 15-point outing while Althea Botor added 13 points on 13 spikes and two aces.
Fatima Medina scored eight for the Lady Titans, who punished Ho Chi Minh City’s spotty service reception with 10 aces.
Le Thi Diem Phuong was the lone Vietnamese in double figures with 16 points as Ho Chi Minh City dropped all of its six outings.