MANILA – College of St. Benilde Lady Blazers hardly broke a sweat as they swept Colegio de San Juan de Letran Lady Knights, 25-18, 25-17, 25-18, in Game 2 of the NCAA Season 99 women’s volleyball finals on Sunday at the FilOil EcoOil Arena in San Juan.
Gayle Pascual capped off her collegiate career with 15 points, built on 14 attacks and a block, to go with seven excellent digs to be named Finals MVP for the three-peat champion Lady Blazers.
Aside from Pascual, others who played their final game with the Lady Blazers are Michelle Gamit, Cloanne Mondoñedo, and Jade Gentapa. They will soon suit up for the ZUS Coffee team in the Premier Volleyball League.
“Sa mga graduating players namin, sila ang nagsimula nito eh,” Lady Blazers head coach Jerry Yee said, referring to their three-peat run. “Naniwala sila sa vision ko, nakita nila ang vision ng team.”
He added: “They were asking before, ‘Why NCAA? Why not in UAAP? Why in Benilde? Why not in ganito?’ Naniwala sila sa vision, and I was able to convince them to go here, hanggang sa lumaki na ‘yung community, and stronger players started to come in.”
Apart from clinching their third straight championship, the Lady Blazers also completed their third consecutive season sweep (11-0) while also stretching their winning streak to 40 games.
“Our senior players are very eager to finish what they have started; they want to exit with a bang kumbaga, and ‘yung mga younger players naman namin gustong gusto nila ma-replicate ‘yung achievements ng seniors nila.”
Meanwhile, Louie Ramirez delivered clutch points as University of Perpetual Help Altas clinched the NCAA Season 99 men’s volleyball crown with a 25-14, 25-22, 29-27 Game 2 win over the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals.
Down 26-27 late in the third set following a conversion by Generals’ Ruther Abor, Ramirez stepped up for the Altas with consecutive off-the-block connections to reach the championship point at 28-27.
Ramirez, who was awarded his second consecutive NCAA men’s volleyball tournament MVP crown earlier in the day, finished with 14 points, built on 12 attacks and two blocks, for the Altas, which secured its fourth straight title./PN
