THE SAN BEDA Red Spikers’ late efforts were not enough against the Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) Generals, losing in five sets, 25-18, 19-25, 25-27, 25-23, 15-17, during the preliminaries of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 101 men’s volleyball tournament at the San Andres Sports Complex, January 28.
San Beda jumped out to a commanding lead in the first set, delivering powerful spikes and clean transitions to take it 25-18.
EAC bounced back in the second, breaking through the Red Spikers’ defense and turning momentum in their favor with aggressive swings to claim the set 25-19.
The third set saw a fierce back-and-forth, with the Generals narrowly edging San Beda, 27-25.
Reflecting on the team’s performance, team captain Axel Van Book said the loss was frustrating but praised the team’s effort.
“Unang-una, syempre ‘yung natalo kami pero binigay naman namin yung best namin… babawi lang kami sa training tapos ‘yung mga pagkululang namin na ‘yon, gagawin na lang namin sa training para sa next game,” he said, emphasizing the team’s focus on growth and improvement.
San Beda regained momentum in the fourth set. Initially trailing 4-8 heading to the first technical timeout of the set, the Red Spikers rallied on to take a 16-14 lead into the second technical timeout.
Carrying on the momentum, the Red Spikers took the fourth set with a 25-23 win, forcing a winner-takes-all fifth set.
Both teams traded points in a nail-biting finale, with neither side willing to give an inch. EAC’s grit proved too much for the Red Spikers, dropping the final set, 15-17.
Van Book highlighted the crucial contributions of teammates who stepped up when it mattered most, particularly Mohammad Tahiluddin, who stabilized the squad during critical stretches.
“Para sa akin, ‘yung nag-step up talaga kahapon na hindi namin expect sa teammate ko, si Tahiluddin… siya naman ‘yung nag-step up kaya umabot kami ng fifth set,” he shared.
Despite the narrow defeat, Van Book finished with 25 points, 21 points from spikes and four from blocks, keeping San Beda competitive until the final whistle.
The Red Spikers return to action on January 31 as they face the Arellano University (AU) Chiefs in their third game at the same venue.
Set Scores:
San Beda – EAC: 25-18, 19-25, 25-27, 25-23, 15-17
Box Scores:
San Beda (2): Book 25, Tahiluddin 19, Bakil 8, Rosman 7, Castaneda 5, Ignacio 4, Yabo 1, Dela Cruz 1
EAC (3): Gela 29, Abor 27, Palatino 9, Taculog 9, Tamayo 7, Olivo 5
(with Catherine Botalon)