Games Saturday (Rizal Memorial Coliseum, Manila)
3 p.m. – College of St. Benilde vs UP (women’s finals)
NCAA’s College of St. Benilde and UAAP’s University of the Philippines forged an explosive finale duel after drubbing their respective foes in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Challenge Cup women’s semifinals on Friday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
The Lady Blazers clobbered fellow NCAA bet Letran, 25-20, 25-17, 25-16, as the Fighting Maroons prevailed over the Philippine Air Force, 25-18, 25-18, 19-25, 25-18, in the knockout semifinals of the 16-team women’s division.
St. Benilde and UP will duke it out in the one-game championship at 3 p.m. today for the prestigious crown of the PNVF Challenge Cup supported by the Philippine Sports Commission headed by chairman Richard Bachmann, PLDT, Rebisco, Akari, Foton and CBPI.
Rhea Mae Densig starred in St. Benilde’s yet another straight-sets victory to be hailed as the Best Player of the match that needed only 87 minutes to finish.
Overall, the two-time reigning NCAA champion St. Benilde has only yielded a single set in a stellar campaign so far marked by a 3-0 wipeout of Pool A in the elimination-round play against the UP Volleyball Club, Parañaque City and the Volida Volleyball Club.
The Lady Blazers, under the watch of seasoned mentor Jerry Yee, absorbed their only set defeat against the San Beda Lady Red Spikers in the quarterfinals, 25-14, 23-25, 25-13, 25-20, before barging back to dominant ways versus Letran.
Ranged against a fellow unbeaten squad in the Philippine Air Force, the Shaq Delos Santos-mentored UP for its part was not to be denied in scoring a four-setter win in one hour and 20 minutes.
Like St. Benilde, UP coasted its way in the prelims with a 3-0 slate in Pool D before needing to fend off the UP Volleyball Club in the quarterfinals, 25-15, 18-25, 25-21, 26-24.
Meanwhile, in the men’s division Final Four, UAAP stalwarts National U and University of Santo Tomas as well as veteran clubs Cignal and VNS Asereht are still battling as of press time, also in the knockout duels.
Winners march on to the winner-take-all finale for a chance to reign supreme in the 20-team Challenge Cup men’s division of the PNVF headed by Ramon “Tats” Suzara.
