FEU sweeps San Sebastian in PVL opener

Games Monday

8 a.m.- St. Benilde vs UP (m)

10 a.m.- UST vs La Salle (m)

4 p.m.- NU vs LPU (w)

6:30 p.m.- UP vs Adamson (w)

MANILA, Philippines — Far Eastern University steamrolled a Grethcel Soltones-less San Sebastian, 25-17, 25-21, 25-14, Sunday to open its campaign with a bang in the Premier Volleyball League Collegiate Conference at the Filoil Arena in San Juan City.

Bernadeth Pons unloaded 13 hits including eight on kills and two on service aces as the Lady Tams nailed their very first win to join the Ateneo Lady Eagles and the Arellano U Lady Chiefs, the reigning NCAA titlists, at the helm.

Pons though was quick to say it was a total team effort.

“We played as a team, that made it a little easier for us,” said Pons in Filipino.

It was also a fitting welcome to FEU coach George Pascua, who took over from Shaq delos Santos a few months back.

And Pascua liked what he saw.

“The important thing is to maximize everyone’s potential and apply our game plan every time,” said Pascua.

The Lady Stags obviously missed Soltones, the former NCAA three-time MVP and Collegiate Conference MVP here who already played her last season and sat on the team bench only as part of Roger Gorayeb’s coaching staff.

After showing token resistance in the first set, the Lady Stags showed some fight in the second and stuck closer before the Lady Tams ended up winning it anyway.

Given up for dead, San Sebastian didn’t fade away easily and fought FEU tooth in nail in the early part of the third before the latter made some adjustments to put the former away for good.

In the men’s division, title favorite Ateneo bucked an opening set defeat to turn back Far Eastern U, 20-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-20, and jumpstart its title-retention bid.

Mark Espejo unleashed a monster 27-hit effort including 24 on kills to power the Eagles, the UAAP champions, to their first win an early share of the lead with opening day winners La Salle and Santo Tomas.

National University, another contender, also set in motion its campaign by routing San Beda, 25-15, 25-16, 25-18, to join the lead pack.

Skipper Francis Philip Saura and Fauzi Ismail took turns and finished with 17 and 16 points, respectively, for the Bulldogs.