Archers repel Blazers, gain quarterfinals berth

MANILA, Philippines - La Salle outduelled cross-street rival College of St. Benilde, 25-18, 25-19, 17-25, 25-15, yesterday to clinch a quarterfinals berth in the Spikers’ Turf Season 1-Collegiate Conference at The Arena in San Juan City.

Team captain Raymark Woo and John Arjay Onia paced the team by firing 16 and 15 hits, respectively, as the Archers nailed their third win in four outings to join the Ateneo Eagles, their archrivals who are unbtean in three starts, in the quarters.

“Our strong start helped us because it gave us the rhythm early,” said La Salle coach Ronald Dulay.

Truly, La Salle jumped the gun on St. Benilde early and seized the first two sets with relative ease.

But the Blazers rode on the power-hitting Johnvic de Guzman’s back and took the third set to keep afloat only to lose steam in the fourth when the Archers re-asserted their might, thanks to Woo and Onia.

The Woo-Onia pair was just too much for De Guzman, who led all hitters with 20 including 19 on kills but just didn’t get enough support as none of his teammates reached double-digit scoring.

St. Benilde, which finished second to reigning NCAA men’s volleyball titlist Emilio Aguinaldo College, fell into a share of third with University of the Philippines on even 2-2 (win-loss) records.

The Blazers though can make it to the next phase if they pull the rug from under the heavily favored Eagles on Aug. 12 in the same venue.

In the other game, NCAA titlist Emilio Aguinaldo College edged National College of Business and Arts, 25-22, 25-22, 25-23, to remain unscathed in Group B with four wins.

Howard Mojica, the reigning NCAA MVP who helped PLDT Home Ultera win the Spikers’ Turf Season 1-Open Conference title last May, unloaded 24 hits including a crucial spike that broke a 23-all deadlock in the third set that eventually gave the Generals the lead for good.

The Wildcats absorbed their second straight defeat in as many wins, leaving them no choice but to win their last game against the University of the East Warriors on Aug. 12 to stay in the quarters race.