Arellano Lady Chiefs NCAA champs anew
THE Arellano Lady Chiefs are back-to-back National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) women’s volleyball champions after taking Game Two of their bestof-three finals with the San Beda Lady Red Spikers in straight sets, 25-13, 29-27 and 25-15, yesterday and complete a sweep of the series.
Banking on their collective grit, poise and experience, the Lady Chiefs took everything that was thrown their way by their opponents and rose above them to march to another title and celebrate in front of their fans at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.
The Lady Chiefs started like a house on fire, racing to an 8-2 advantage by the first technical timeout of the opening set before turning it to a 16-9 cushion midway into the frame.
From there Arellano was not to be stopped as it completed the first-set rout with a 9-4 blast the rest of the way.
In the second set it was San Beda’s turn to go on a fast start, outscoring Arellano, 5-1, in the early goings.
The Lady Chiefs tried to rally back but they still found themselves trailing by the first break, 8-5.
The Lady Red Spikers would maintain control of the set even as the Lady Chiefs inched closer to stay ahead, 16-14, by the second technical knockout.
Arellano tied the count at 18all only for San Beda to respond with a 4-2 run after to take a 2220 advantage.
The Lady Chiefs tied the score at 24- all but San Beda still had chances to salvage the set.
Unfortunately for the Mendiola-based Lady Spikers they could not hold off the tide that Regine Arocha and the rest of the Lady Chiefs brought after to go two sets down.
Having gone all the more confident in its “dig-deep” showing in the set prior, Arellano sped to an 8-0 lead to start the third frame.
It stretched the gap to 16-4 by the second technical knockout and practically coasted along to the title thereafter.
Arocha, named finals most valuable player, and Jovielyn Prado led Arellano with 15 points apiece.
Andrea Marzan had eight points while Mary Anne Esguerra had seven for the Lady Chiefs, who won all of their games in Season 93 except for one.
“We’re happy with this championship. It shows that our program is growing and bearing fruits. That the support and trust and given to us by the admiration is paying off,” said Arellano coach Obet Javier in the postgame press conference.
San Beda, meanwhile, was paced by Cesca Racraquin’s 13 points with Maria Nieza Viray adding eight points.
The loss ended for San Beda what was a groundbreaking season for the team in the NCAA this year that had it barging into its first finals appearance.