Perpetual repeats over LPU to force three-way logjam at 4th spot in NCAA men's volleyball

The University of Perpetual Help System DALTA made sure there would be no collapse this time, dispatching Lyceum of the Philippines University in straight sets, 25-17, 25-22, 25-22, in NCAA Season 100 men’s volleyball action on Wednesday. After surviving a five-set thriller in their first-round meeting, the four-time defending champions came out sharper, cruising through the first two sets before weathering a late push from the Pirates in the third. With the win, the ALTAs improved to 6-4, creating a three-way tie for fourth place alongside Colegio de San Juan de Letran and San Beda University.

Meanwhile, the Pirates slid to 2-8 despite a valiant effort. Perpetual showed no signs of complacency early on, learning from their previous grind against LPU and immediately taking control. But the Pirates refused to fold in the third set, rallying behind the explosive Jun Edang and the steady play of John Cielo, whose back-to-back hits knotted the set at 16-all.



Ace Blanco even gave LPU an 18-17 edge with a service ace, injecting life into the Pirates. But when it mattered most, Perpetual’s championship composure kicked in. Opposite hitter Kobe Tabuga broke through a two-man wall to deliver the match point at 24-22, before Jeff Marapoc sealed the deal with a powerful back-row kill that caught the baseline.

Marapoc led the charge with 16 points and three digs, while Tabuga and John Castil added 13 and 10 markers, respectively. —JKC, GMA Integrated News.