Perpetual forces rubbermatch with CSB

MANILA, Philippines – The Lady Altas live to see another day, erasing College of Saint Benilde's (CSB) twice-to-beat advantage in the NCAA Women's Volleyball Final Four at the FilOil Flying V Centre, Tuesday.

University of Perpetual Help shocked second-seed CSB to start the match, winning the first two sets, 25-23, 25-21, for a dominating 2-0 lead over the Lady Blazers.

But it wasn't going to be too easy for the Lady Altas. The Taft-based squad recovered in the nick of time to stay alive with a 25-20 win in the third set.

Riding the momentum from their third set victory, the Lady Blazers dominated Perpetual early in the fourth set. 

CSB looked poised to run away with the fourth and force a fifth set decider, leading Perpetual 22-14.

But the fourth-seeded Lady Atlas just seemed to want it more. Showing nerves of steel, Perpetual went on a blistering 11-1 run to take the set and the match, 25-23.

The ecstatic win snaps the Lady Blazers' eight-game winning streak going into the final four.

Perpetual and CSB will slug it out in a winner-takes-all match on Tuesday, January 29.

The victor will face defending champion Arellano University in the finals.