COLLEGE of St. Benilde fought back from two sets down to escape with a 22-25, 23-25, 25-14, 25-13, 15-10 victory over Lyceum of the Philippines University yesterday to seize a share of the lead with defending champion Arellano University in the 93rd NCAA women’s volleyball tournament at the Filoil Arena in San Juan City.
Klarisa Abriam and Rachel Anne Austero fired 18 and 16 points, respectively, while making crucial plays in the last three sets when the Lady Blazers, who routed the Letran Lady Knights, 25-22, 25-11, 25-20, last week, completed a dramatic comeback to post their second straight win.
It was a career effort for Abriam after she finished with eight in their team’s first win, while Austero duplicated her opening-day effort.
Marites Pablo, younger sister of Premier Volleyball League MVP Myla, and Ranya Musa scattered 12 and 11 hits to help the cause.
“The girls just didn’t give up,” said CSB coach Arnold Laniog.
Earlier, defending men’s champion CSB likewise nailed its second win in a row by trouncing LPU, 25-18, 25-22, 25-18.
In juniors’ play, CSB-La Salle Greenhills almost blew a two-set edge but showed tremendous poise in the fifth and final set to carve out a 25-23, 25-23, 15-25, 14-25, 9-15 triumph over LPU.