Perpetual, SSC, EAC gain outright NC beach volley finals

MANILA, Philippines - Perpetual Help, San Sebastian and Emilio Aguinaldo swept their respective divisions to advance straight to the finals in the 92nd NCAA beach volleyball tournament at the Subic Bay sands fronting Subic Park Hotel yesterday.

Brothers Rey Jr. and Relan Taneo overpowered reigning men’s titlist Mapua’s Sam Damian and Alfredo Pagulong, 21-17, 21-13, to complete a nine-game sweep of the elimination round that catapulted the Altas straight to the finals where they will enjoy twice-to-beat edge.

“We use our finals loss to Mapua last year as our motivation this season, we also learned from our experience there and corrected our mistakes,” said Rey Jr.,  whose family hails from Cebu.

Mapua finished tied for third with Emilio Aguinaldo. The two were playing at press time in a knockout duel for the right to play Lyceum, which owns a twice-to-beat edge as second seed.

San Sebastian’s Grethcel Soltones and Alyssa Eroa outlasted San Beda twins Maria Jeziela and Maria Nieza Viray, 33-31, 21-14, in a showdown between two unbeaten squads to book a fourth straight trip to the women’s finals where they would have a chance to win their fourth straight crown and seventh overall.

“We just kept our focus and we stayed determined to make it back to the finals,” said Soltones, the three-time NCAA MVP of indoor volleyball.

Perpetual Help, which  wound up No. 3 fights No. 4 Jose Rizal in the first stepladder semis.

The winner of their match sets up a duel with No. 2 San Beda, which is ensured of a twice-to-beat advantage.