Defending NCAA Men’s Volleyball champions University of Perpetual Help System DALTA Altas completed the sweep over contenders College of Saint Benilde Blazers, 25-22, 25-22, 26-24, to jump start their title-retention bid on a winning note, Wednesday afternoon at the FilOil Flying V Centre.
The Blazers started all the three sets on fire as team captain Johnvic De Guzman poured in the attacks. The Taft-based spikers’ net defense also clicked at the front end of the frames.
However, when the Altas’ offense got their bearings, they eventually closed out the sets.
The Blazers’ errors late in the sets also spelled their doom. In the third set, the Blazers were leading at 24-23, before errors off Mark Deximo and mishits from Isaah Arda gave away the set and the win to the reigning champs.
Perps head coach Sammy Acaylar was pleased to get the win, but told his wards to start off strong.
“Ang basa ko dyan, masyadong complacent yung team ko. Sabi ko nga sa kanila, ‘I don’t like yung nangyayari na nauuna yung kalaban tsaka namin hinahabol,” Acaylar shared. “Because, of course, gusto ng kalaban na talunain [kami], kasi magaling ang Benilde eh. Siguro, mas marami lang kaming exposure sa kanila, marami akong seniors [na composed].”
The Altas were able to keep in step with the Blazers with more effective attacking, getting 42 spikes. First-time starter Esmail Kasim led the defending kings with 15 points, 10 of which came from attacks. The other wing attackers Rey Taneo Jr. and Allan Sala-an also finished with double figures at 12 and 10, respectively.
De Guzman as expected led the Blazers with 14 points, but the closest production after the skipper was seven markers from Arda.
Despite the win, Acaylar felt that he expects more adjustments from the Altas in the upcoming games. He shared that starting setter Warren Catipay and outside hitter Dean Abcede were withdrawn from the lineup due to academic reasons, forcing him to use Relan Taneo and Kasim.
The long-time mentor said, “Yung setter ko, second setter ko yun. Sabi ko sa kanila, ‘Mag-focus lang sila sa game and hindi ako masyadong naconvince sa performance.’ We have to do double time with our setters now.”
The Scores:
UPHSD (3) – Kasim 15, Taneo Jr. 12, Sala-an 10, Doliente 9, Ramos 4, Taneo 2, Rosales 1, Kaligking L.
CSB (0) – De Guzman 14, Arda 7, Bacani 6, Orian 6, Jordan 2, Basilan 1, Deximo 1, Bautista 1, Garcia 1, Magsino 0, Dy L.
