In a showdown of two former champions, San Sebastian College-Recolletos Lady Stags out-hustled the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta Lady Altas in three grueling sets, 25-21, 25-23, 26-24, to start their NCAA Season 91 campaign.
Gretchel Soltones started like a well-oiled machine and steered the Lady Stags to the lead, despite the Lady Altas being hot on their heels. Perpetual’s Lourdes Clemente was at the forefront of scoring for her team, as the towering middle blocker used her height over her opponents. In the end, it was the Lady Stags who took the opening set, 25-21, off a service ace from Nikka Dalisay.
In the second set, both teams had a taste of the lead, as their respective main guns Soltones and Clemente provided the needed push. A block from Lady Altas’ Coleen Bravo woke up San Sebastian, and the latter seized the next two points to clinch a 2-0 set advantage. The Lady Stags and the Lady Altas made it another tight battle in the third frame, until the Las Piñas-based squad threatened to steal the set. In the huddle, San Sebastian’s coach Roger Gorayeb told his team to score to get Soltanes in front. Gorayeb’s wards heeded his request, and former Most Valuable Player Soltones responded with two vicious kills to secure the set and the match for the Lady Stags.
Soltones ended with a whopping 16 points for the Lady Stags, 15 of them coming from kills. Dangie Encarnacion followed suit with 7 markers. Lady Altas’ Jamela Suyat had 12 points to lead her team, 4 of them off the service line. Clemente had a block per set and scored a total of 11.
The San Sebastian Lady Stags (1-0) look for their second win as they face the San Beda Red Lady Spikers (0-1) on Wednesday, December 2. On the other other hand, the Perpetual Lady Altas (0-1) look to bounce back as they face the Mapua Lady Cardinals (0-1) on Thursday, December 3.
The Scores:
SSC-R (3) – Soltones 16, Encarnacion 7, Labiano 6, Corpuz 4, Sta. Rita 4, Dalisay 3, Guillema 3, Lim 1, Eroa (L)
UPHSD (0) – Suyat 12, Clemente 11, Imbo 5, Bravo 4, Diocareza 3, Gual 2, Rosal 2, Condada (L), Calleja (L)
