Perpetual Help goes for NCAA volleyball triple-kill

MANILA, Philippines — Perpetual Help will have a chance to win the women’s, men’s and juniors volleyball crowns all in one season.

The Las Piñas-based school put itself in a position to score a possible triple-kill after its women’s squad brought down fancied College of St. Benilde with a nail-biting 25-17, 27-29, 19-25, 26-24, 16-14 victory to barge into the finals of the 94th NCAA volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

Down a set to two and 11-22 in the fourth set, the Lady Altas mounted a spirited comeback, stole the set and edged the Lady Blazers in the deciding fifth set to complete the shocking upset and set up a best-of-three title showdown with the Arellano U Lady Chiefs, the reigning champions.

Cindy Imbo came through in the fifth set when she scored the last two points as the fourth-seeded Lady Altas completed the mammoth upset of the top-seeded Lady Blazers after the former took their first Final Four game, 25-23, 25-21, 20-25, 25-23, last week.

“The girls just didn’t want to give up. They showed heart,” said UPHSD coach Macky Carino.

Perpetual Help will thus have three teams playing in the finals with both the Altas and Junior Altas advancing via nine-game sweeps.

UPHSD will play CSB in the men’s side after the latter downed Emilio Aguinaldo, 25-18, 25-23, 25-20, while its juniors’ squad will tackle Letran, which turned back Lyceum of the Phl U, 30-28, 25-21, 25-20, earlier.

Game One is on Friday with Game Two set on Feb. 8.

A deciding Game Three, if necessary, is on Feb. 12.

Rubince Abrot unloaded 12 points as the Blazers claimed the last berth.

CSB ended EAC’s dream run after the latter booted out last year’s losing finalist Arellano U, 24-26, 8-25, 25-20, 25-18, 21-19, at the start of the stepladder semis last week.