Sweeping the elimination round does not guarantee a championship. Just ask the San Sebastian College-Recoletos Lady Stags.
The Lady Stags had muscled their way past the Season 91 regular season, earning a ticket straight to the Finals and an imposing thrice-to-beat advantage.
But when the time to win the title came, the Lady Stags fell apart, watching the Saint Benilde Lady Blazers erase their advantage and will.
What had transpired last season was sure to be a sure talking point in this season’s Finals. The Lady Stags have again swept their elimination round and hold a thrice-to-beat edge. Standing in their way is another hungry team, Season 90 champions Arellano University Lady Chiefs.
Season 92 saw a rejuvenated Lady Chiefs squad, raring to recover from their Season 91 blunder. After stumbling in their first match of the season — a five-set loss to the Lady Stags — Arellano have since won nine straight matches.
If there is a perfect foil for the Lady Stags, it is the Lady Chiefs. Their Season 90 trophy had come at the expense of the Lady Stags and, in their elimination round match-up, Arellano took the first two sets before San Sebastian came alive.
Aarellano head coach Obet Javier has a mind to serve the Lady Stags the same bitter outcome as last season.
“Kung gusto naming manalo, kailangan talaga namin gayahin ‘yung ginawa ng Benilde,” Javier said. “Sa nakita ko sa team ko, kaya talaga namin. Nandoon ‘yung teamwork at ‘yung kagustuhan manalo.”
Javier, in the past, raved about the Lady Chiefs chemistry, saying that there are no superstars on his team — only sisters out to win a championship.
The same could not be said of the Lady Stags last season. San Sebastian have Grethcel Soltones, the reigning two-time that delivered 30-point outings for them last season. But when the Finals came, Saint Benilde shut her down and her teammates provided minimal help.
In Season 92, however, Soltones’ scoring outbursts have been few – she has only broken the 30-point barrier once. But the Lady Stags have found other contributors; middle blockers Kath Villegas and Joyce Sta. Rita dished out double-figure outputs, while Baste’s rotating cast of wingers had their moment to shine.
“Nakita nila last season na Grethcel can’t do it alone. Walang championship team na isa lang ang gumagawa,” San Sebastian head coach Roger Gorayeb claimed. “Wala naman na akong mahihingi pa kay Grethcel noon, it was the others we needed badly.”
“Nakikita ko naman po ‘yung commitment ng team. Iba na po talaga this season. Hindi na namin hahayaan na matalo kami nang ganoon lang,” Soltones, who is slated to win her third MVP trophy, said.
The series opens later today at the FilOil Flying V Centre at 4 pm. Game One will be crucial for setting the tone — will it be another upset, or will the Lady Stags finally end their title drought?
