FOLLOWING A LACKLUSTER third day in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 100 Beach Volleyball Tournament, the San Beda Lady and Red Spikers quickly launched their own decisive comebacks, securing twin wins last February 8 at the Sands Court, Subic Freeport Zone.
The Lady Red Spikers, led by power duo Angel Habacon and Reyann Cañete, began the day with a high-stakes match against the San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSC-R) Lady Stags.
The first set saw both teams trading points, but the Mendiola-based squad struggled with several attack errors, allowing the other team to capitalize and close the set with a 19-21 win in their favor.
By the second set, both teams engaged in a tightly contested battle by frequently exchanging leads. Nevertheless, the Lady Red Spikers managed to keep their run, securing a 21-18 victory, forcing a deciding third set.
The final set remained a close fight, with San Beda holding a meager lead at 11-9. After a timeout, a ball mark request from the Lady Red Spikers was unsuccessful. But they maintained focus and continued to build momentum, sealing a 15-11 victory finished with a crucial service ace by Habacon.
During the afternoon, the Lady Red Spikers faced the defending champions Colegio de San Juan de Letrán (CSJL) Lady Knights in their Season 99 finals rematch.
The first set started as a tight match, with Letran gaining momentum midway through and establishing a commanding 9-17 lead. Despite a late rally from the Lady Red Spikers, they were unable to recover, dropping the set at 14-21.
Despite a series of service aces thrown by Letran in the second set, the Lady Red Spikers sought to bounce back, gradually closing the gap and taking control, clinching the set 21-17 to push the match into a decisive third set.
The Lady Red Spikers then continued their pace and opened the third set with a strong 6-2 lead. The Lady Knights recovered a tight battle with simultaneous scoring from both sides. Regardless, the duo sustained composure, pulling away in the last five points to close the match with a 15-12 victory.
Red Spikers bounce back
On the other hand, the Red Spikers, represented by Axel Book, Aidjien Rus, and Eduwin Kassim, bounced back, hitting their stride against the SSC-R Men’s Volleyball Team with straight set wins, 21-14 and 21-15, respectively.
The afternoon games opened up with a heated exchange between the Red Spikers and the Letran Knights, with the first set culminating in a nail-biting victory, 23-21. The second set was met with the same electrifying exchange, but the Red Spikers ultimately delivered the coup de grace with a 21-19 finish.
Seeking to finish the season strong, the Lady and Red Spikers will go head-to-head against Arellano University on the final day of the elimination stage on Saturday, February 8.
(with Cass Manao)