College of Saint Benilde aims to clinch the last playoffs seat in Pool D in a crucial match against San Sebastian College-Recoletos in the 2024 Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship Friday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The Lady Blazers and Lady Stags cross paths in the curtain-raiser at 11:30 a.m. of a packed four-game playdate to close the elimination round.
Saint Benilde shocked fancied Adamson University in straight sets, 25-13, 25-22, 25-19, last Wednesday for a 1-1 win-loss record in the tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, GCash, Chery Tiggo, F2 Logistics, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner, R and B Milk Tea and Summit Water.
The win put the three-time NCAA champion in a good position to claim the last ticket to the next round to join pool leader Far Eastern University.
“Lalaban and lalaro lang kami. Sabi ng ani coach (Jerry Yee) stick lang sa plano,” said Lady Blazers prized winger Mary Grace Borromeo.
Borromeo, who came from the Adamson program, unleashed a barrage of hits including seven in the third set to finish with 10 points in a statement win over her former team.
Aside from Borromeo, Yee will also pin his hopes on Rhea Densing, Wielyn Estoque, Zamantha Nolasco and veteran winger Mycah Go to bring down SSC-R, which is winless in two starts.
Pressure is on the Lady Blazers’ side as a loss will force a three-way tie at 1-2 slates, which will hand the Lady Falcons the last seat to the next phase holding a superior tiebreak.
Meanwhile, also-ran Mapua University (0-3) and University of Perpetual Help System Dalta (0-3) square off at 1 p.m. in Pool B of the competition, which has Smart Sports, PLDT Fibr, Mikasa, Asics, Rebel Sports, Eurotel, Victory Liner, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and SM Tickets as technical partners.
University of the Philippines (1-1) collides with Jose Rizal University (0-2) in Pool C at 3:30 p.m. while three-peat-seeking National University (3-0) guns for a Pool A sweep against Arellano University (2-1) at 6 p.m.
The second round begins on Sunday with NU, University of the East, De La Salle University, and the second ranked team in Pool D playing in Pool E while University of Santo Tomas, Ateneo de Manila University, FEU, and UP are in Pool F.
Teams will carry over their preliminary round points and play another round-robin where the top two teams in each pool will earn a twice-to-beat advantage in the crossover quarterfinals.
SSL games are aired live and on-demand via Puso Pilipinas, SMART Livestream, Solar Sports Channel 70 on Sky Cable and Channel 59 on Cable Link.
Games Friday (Rizal Memorial Coliseum)
11:30 a.m. –- CSB vs SSC-R
1 p.m. –- Mapua vs Perpetual
3:30 p.m. — UP vs JRU
6 p.m. — Arellano vs NU
