AFTER BEING SWEPT in straight sets 20-25, 19-25, 16-25 by the National University (NU) Bulldogs last September 17 at the Paco Arena, the San Beda Red Spikers have capped off their 2023 V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge campaign without a single win. 

The Red Spikers started the first set of the game by opening the score from a long attack by Kevin Montemayor, along with a two-point lead from their attacking and defensive efforts. The Bulldogs gained the advantage after the halfway mark of the set through consistent defense and precise ball placement. The first set ended with the Bulldogs taking the lead of the game with a score of  20-25.  

The second set saw the Red Spikers start off slow, as their attacks were answered by the defense of the Bulldogs, trailing by two points heading to the first technical timeout. The rest of the second set saw a continuation of the momentum the NU bulldogs were able to gain towards the end of the first set. The Bulldogs take the second set with a six-point lead with a score of 19-25. 

It was during the third set that the Red Spikers failed to weather the storm, trailing by five points in the early minutes of the set. The errors of the Red Spikers continued to pile up, as the NU Bulldogs closed out the game confirming San Beda’s winless campaign 16-25.    

The San Beda Red Spikers have now ended their 2023 V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge with a record of zero wins and seven losses, finishing in last place for the conference. They are seekung to improve on these experiences leading up to the 99th season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in their bid to emulate their first-runner-up finish in the previous season.  

(With Mika Isidro) 

Photo courtesy of V-League