San Beda belles stop Lady Knights

MANILA, Philippines - San Beda College outsteadied Letran College, 25-22, 22-25, 25-22, 25-23, to  halt a two-game losing skein in the National Collegiate Athletic Association women’s volleyball tournament at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The Lionesses needed four sets to overcome the Lady Knights, who nearly forced a deciding fifth set  if not for a receiving error by Letran skipper Lalaine Villarin, with San  Beda ahead by a single point, 24-23.

With the win, the Lionesses moved up to 3-2 (win-loss) and tie the Lady Knight and the Arellano Lady Chiefs at third place  and improve their chances for a second straight semifinals stint.

“Sinabi ko sa mga bata na hindi dapat tayong ma-down dahil lang doon sa dalawang talo natin. Ibalik natin yung focus sa paglalaro,” said Lionesses coach Ryan Jorge Sucaldito.

San Beda won its first two matches for a 2-0 start, but lost two successive games against Emilio Aguinaldo College and College of Saint Benilde.

The Lady Knights tied the match for the last time in the fourth set, 22-22, on a spike from Manel Carolino that kissed the line, but  Janine Nicole Marciano hit one from crosscourt  to wrest back the lead for the Lionesses, 23-22.

San Beda, though, committed a rotational violation to allow Letran to tie the match anew, 23-23, but  Marciano again went up for a kill to put the Lionesses a point away from match point.

San Beda made it a sweep for the day after the San Beda Red Cubs prevailed over the Squires, 22-25, 25-22, 25-23, 26-28, 15-13 (3-2) in the juniors side, while the Red Lions slipped past the Knights, 24-16, 25-21, 25-18, 25-20 (3-1) in the men’s division.