By: Aishah Jimenez
Colegio de San Juan de Letran conquered the EAC Generals in both women's and men's division in four-set thriller during the NCAA Season 100 first elimination round on March 20 at the Jose Rizal University Gym. Photo Courtesy: Ram Christian Campos.
Women’s Division
Colegio de San Juan de Letran bested the Lady Generals in a four-set thriller, 25-22, 22-25, 25-19, 25-16, during the NCAA Season 100 first elimination round on March 20 at the Jose Rizal University Gym.
After starring in their previous match against the Pirates, Judiel Nitura and Vanessa Sarie once again proved their efficiency as the former finished with 17 points coming from 15 attacks and two blocks while the latter tallied 16 points anchored on 14 attacks, a block, and an ace besides 13 excellent receptions. Verenicce Colendra, meanwhile, supported them with 12 points.
Both Letran and EAC seemed to be overcoming their jitters in the opening frame, but it was the former who was more determined to seal the set as manifested in their steady three-point edge, 18-21.
Sarie worked on two swings, but a miscommunication from the Lady Knights and a block point from the Lady General’s Villena cut down the lead to one. Colendra made an instant impact off the bench with two attack points to close the set.
Colendra then continued to deliver, scoring seven of her 12 markers in the second but errors from the Muralla squad overpowered her efforts, eventually yielding to the Generals, 25-22.
Coming into the third frame, Letran was leading by as much as eight before EAC scored at the expense of their misreceptions. The latter’s successful scoring attempts kept coming until Yen Martin’s attack humbled them.
A fourth set heartbreak was handed to the Lady Generals following the 5-0 run of the Lady Knights, which came from Nitura’s three successful attacks, Natalie Estreller’s ace, and Martin’s net defense.
Rookie Elizza Alimen stepped up for the Lady Generals, displaying 15 points from 12 attacks, two aces, and a block. With their loss, they now fell to 1-5.
Men’s Division
The Knights also escaped steely EAC in four sets, 25-22, 23-25, 26-24, 25-20, to clamp their back-to-back wins.
Four players from the Intramuros crew registered double digits. Vince Himzon and Lorenz Vicente churned out 15 points apiece, which came from a combined 25 attacks, five blocks, and an ace. Christer Ambrocio and Dave Lardizabal had 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Their steady offense, however, was owed to the captain setter John Wayne Arano who dispatched 22 out of 24 excellent sets for Letran.
After the first two sets were split, with Letran's Andrew Abeto locking the first set at 22-25 and EAC's Jan Ruther Abot shutting the second with a strong attack at 25-23, CSJL was forced to put in an extensive amount of work heading into the third frame before relaxing in the fourth.
Both crews displayed an intense head-to-head battle until the Colegio’s Derrick Bautista fearlessly hindered the attack of EAC’s Joshua Olivo, which brought the former into set point. The latter’s teammate, Frelwin Taculog, sought revenge, tying the score at 24. Bautista once again scored from an attack before Ambrocio’s block point won the set for Letran.
Arano's facilitation was evenly distributed, making it difficult for the Generals to defend the Knights' attacks. Vicente's back row kill ended the fourth set, which the Generals had hoped would be another set splitter.
The Knights improved to 3-2 while the Generals slipped to 2-3, enduring their third consecutive loss despite Taculog’s 20-point explosion tacked on 17 kills, two blocks, and an ace.
The two squads donning the blue and red uniforms will attempt to extend their winning streak on Saturday against Arellano University at the Jose Rizal University Gym.