The College of St. Benilde Blazers bounced back from their opening day loss against University of Perpetual Help System DALTA Altas after downing the Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights in straight sets, 25-19, 25-13, 26-24, in the NCAA Season 92 Men’s Volleyball Sunday morning at the FilOil Flying V Center in San Juan.
Three Blazers paced Saint Benilde’s offense in today’s victory, which improves their record to 1-1. Johnvic De Guzman led all scorers with 15 points off 14 attacks, while Isaiah Arda and Owen Bacani each made 11 and 10, respectively. Setter Kevin Magsino made 27 excellent sets.
After narrowly taking the opening set, 25-19, the Blazers made easy work of the Knights in the next frame, posting a wide 18-9 lead approaching the midway mark. Letran chipped in a few points through their net defense and Benilde’s errors, but the latter could not be contained, as Mark Orian and De Guzman provided the finishing touches via blocks and kills en route to a lopsided 25-13 set win.
Playing with a sense of urgency, Letran gave one final push in the final set, forcing a nip-and-tuck battle that sent the period to a deuce. Letran actually inched closer to winning the set, 23-22, but hits by De Guzman propelled CSB to set point, 24-23. Letran’s Christopher Cistina made a checkball that sent it to 24-all, but that proved to be their last point, as a De Guzman cross-court and a net violation by Letran wrapped up the match in favor of the Blazers, 26-24.
Blazers head coach Arnold Laniog, despite the 3-0 win, still feels that his team played a level lower than their usual standards.
“May something sa team na kailangan namin masolve, na kailangan namin maka-move on mula sa talo last game,” said Laniog postgame. “So nag-adjust kami ng tao. And yun nag-click naman.”
“Although nanalo kami, medyo kulang pa,” Laniog admitted.
Bobby Gatdula, who spearheaded Letran’s charge in the third set, led the Knights (1-1) with 12 markers in a losing effort.
CSB will face Mapua this Wednesday, November 23.
The Scores:
CSB (3) – De Guzman 15, Arda 11, Bacani 10, Jordan 8, Orian 7, Martinez 2, Magsino 1, Bautista 0, Daming 0, Deximo 0, Garcia (L), Dy (L).
CSJL (0) – Gatdula 12, Cistina 6, Dichoso 5, Reyes 4, Alilio 4, Sarmiento 1, Dizon 0, Ladeon 0, Timbreza (L), Centeno (L).
