Defending NCAA men’s volleyball champions College of Saint Benilde Blazers completed a huge comeback from an 0-2 hole and upended the gritty Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals, 19-25, 20-25, 25-7, 25-14, 15-11, Monday morning at the FilOil Flying V Centre.
The Generals stormed through the first two sets, leaning on better transition and their service game. Joshua Mina and Chris Ilano poured in most of their combined 27 points in these frames.
Nonetheless, when the Blazers realized that they needed to turn up their aggressiveness, it was cruise control from there.
“Nung first two sets, nag-relaxed kami, ‘di kami aggressive sa atake, sa blocking,” lamented Benilde senior middle blocker Jethro Orian. “Eh yung kalaban, masipag sila.”
EAC imploded in the next two sets, coughing up most of their 41 miscues during the frame. The reigning champions capitalized on the situation with heightened aggression.
Halfway through the eliminations, Orian shared that the Blazers needed to continue their hard work.
“Kailangan pa naming mas maging aggressive. Mas tumrabaho sa dapat naming again,” he said.
Captain Isaah Arda registered a 19-point outing, 17 coming off attacks. Orian’s fellow center attacker Francis Basilan finished with 12 markers.
Mina starred for the Generals with 16 points.
The Blazers (4-1) will battle the Jose Rizal University (0-5) on Wednesday. The Generals (2-3) will lock horns with the Mapua University (2-2) on Thursday, in a tussle for survival.
The Scores:
CSB 3 – Arda 19, Basilan 12, Orian 9, Bacani 9, Bautista 9, Magsino 4, Rojas 1, Saldavia 0, Dy L.
EAC 2 – Mina 16, Ilano 11, Rasing 11, Castellano 8, Lim 6, Garcia 2, Guinto 1, Panoy 0, Lumbar 0, Magadan L, Bagdoc L.
