Surprise package leads AU to finals

Game Wednesday (Filoil Ecooil Centre) 2 p.m. – CSB vs AU

Arellano University put an end to Jose Rizal U’s fairy tale run while keeping its four-peat bid alive with a 19-25, 25-20, 27-25, 25-17 victory in the 97th NCAA volleyball tournament at the Filoil Ecooil Centre yesterday.

Unheralded Pauline de Guzman came out of nowhere to unleash a match-best 19 points including 15 on kills and three service aces to lead the Lady Chiefs to their fourth straight finals appearance and a chance for an amazing four-peat feat.

AU advanced to the best-of-three title playoff versus league titan College of St. Benilde, which swept its way straight to the finals on a magnificent nine-win elimination round record.

The series starts Wednesday while Game Two is set Friday.

A deciding Game Three, if necessary, is Sunday.

Earlier, it appeared AU won’t reach that far with a sluggish start versus a JRU side seeking a first finals stint ever in league history.

But the Lady Chiefs managed to shake off the rust and showed resilience, fighting back from a first-set defeat to repel the Lady Bombers.

“We got a little lucky out there,” said AU coach Obet Javier.

But luck was far from the reason the reigning three-peat champions made it through.

It was actually Javier’s brilliance of pulling De Guzman – not even in the top 50 in the league’s top scorers – out of his hat of magic tricks that spelled the biggest difference.

“I asked her (De Guzman) if she wanted play and she answered with a firm yes,” said Javier.

That magic stroke sent the Lady Bombers packing and in tears as they missed the chance of having a date with destiny.