Mariners trounce Sea Lions, clinch top seed

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Merchant Marine School held off Olivarez College, 25-20, 25-15, 28-26, to top the elimination round of the 21st National Capital Region Athletic Association (NCRAA) men’s volleyball tournament at the Emilio Aguinaldo College-Dasmariñas gym in Dasmariñas, Cavite yesterday.

Abdujarid Jalil scored two crucial points in the final set to power the Mariners to the victory, their seventh against one defeat. PMMS will thus go into the semis as the top seed.

Jalil’s booming spikes found their marks right after the Blue Thunder forced a 26-all count to lift the Mariners to the win.

Rizal Technological University, on the other hand, needed four sets to turn back EAC-Cavite, 25-22, 22-25, 25-14, 25-22, and clinch the No. 2 spot in the Final Four with a 5-3 card.

The Blue Thunder got a lift from Daryl de Vera as they seized an 8-3 advantage in the final set en route to victory.

The La Salle-Dasmariñas Patriots and the Olivarez Sea Lions finished with identical 4-4 slates to gain the two other semis berths.