Two-time reigning NCAA champion College of St. Benilde exacted sweet vengeance on the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta to catch the last playoff bus in Pool C with a 24-26, 25-21, 21-25, 25-23, 15-11 win in the Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-Season Championship Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
Jade Gentapa dropped 17 points on 15 hits, an ace and a block as the Lady Blazers battled back from a set down to eliminate the Lady Altas in the knockout tiff for the No. 2 seed and the final ticket from Pool C with a 2-1 card. UST topped the group with a 3-0 slate.
The Lady Blazers bowed to the Lady Altas, 16-25, 25-20, 26-28, 25-16, 12-15 win in the SSL National Invitationals quarterfinals last month.
Gentapa, the former NCAA Finals MVP, drew ample support from Zamantha Nolasco with 12 points while Corrine Apostol and Michelle Gamit added 11 points apiece. Jessa Dorog chipped in 10.
“Syempre po, masaya kasi na-overcome na namin ‘yung Lady Altas. Ginawa lang po namin ‘yung trabaho namin as a team at kung ano ‘yung role namin sa court,” said Gentapa.
Reigning NCAA MVP Mary Rhose Dapol had 24 points for Perpetual (1-2) in an early exit in the SSL Season 2 backed by Mikasa, Eurotel, Victory Liner, Summit Bottle Water, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, R and B Milk Tea, Potato Corner, Rebel Sports, Converge ICT Solutions, Genius Sports and United Auctioneers, Inc.
Earlier, playoff-bound Far Eastern U denied Ateneo a quick passage by pulling off a reverse sweep, 22-25, 23-25, 25-20, 25-22, 15-10, for a perfect 3-0 record in Pool D.
Faida Bakanke put up 21 points with Gerzel Petallo and Manila Alberto pumping in 13 points for the Lady Tamaraws. Mitzi Panangin produced 11 more for the wards of coach Manolo Refugia.
“It’s all about my teammates helping me. I have confidence in myself,” said Bakanke in FEU’s epic comeback from two sets down in two hours and 17 minutes.
Lyann De Guzman scored 16 points in the tough loss for Ateneo, which tripped to 1-1 and now has to win against Emilio Aguinaldo College (0-2) to advance and dodge complications for a possible three-way tie with the lurking Mapua (1-2).
Ateneo and EAC duke it out on Sunday while NU and Adamson go for sweeps against Jose Rizal U and Adamson for the final elimination round games of SSL in cooperation with the Commission on Higher Education and the Philippine Sports Commission.
All games will be accessible across all platforms live and on-demand through the social media pages of Plus Network and SSL with Solar Sports, Blast TV and Aliw Channel 23 as TV partners.
