DEFENDING men’s champion Perpetual Help will go all out to regain the lead it lost to San Beda when the elimination round of the 92nd NCAA volleyball tournament resumes on Jan. 4, 2017 at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan City.
The Altas, who want to become the second most titled team in the league today with 11 titles or three lower than Letran’s 14, in fact, will continue to train despite the Holiday season to focus on sustaining their form in time for the final games of the elimination round.
To date, the Altas are currently tied at third place with Arellano U on 4-1 (win-loss) and trailing league leader San Beda (6-1) and No. 2 St. Benilde (5-1).
Perpetual Help’s only defeat came at the hands of San Beda in a heartbreaking 25-18, 29-27, 23-25, 27-29, 10-15 decision on Nov. 20.
The Las Pinas-based school’s final assignments will be against San Sebastian on Jan. 11, Lyceum of the Philippines U on Jan 13, Jose Rizal on Jan. 20 and Arellano U on Jan. 20.
The top four teams after the elimination round will clash in the Final Four with No. 1 and No. 2 clashing with No. 4 and No, 3, respectively, with the former two needing just a victory to advance to the best-of-three finals.
“We’re only taking a break on Christmas and New Year’s Day because we’ll be spending the rest of the holidays practicing and training,” said Acaylar.
The second round will start on January 6 next year with San Beda clashing with Lyceum of the Philippines U, which clinched the fourth and last semifinals ticket by finishing with six points on two wins and four losses and edging Perpetual Help through goal differential, at 1 p.m.
The other semis pairing pits No. 2 St. Benilde with No. 3 Arellano U at 3 p.m.