SSC boosts stock in NCAA volleyball

MANILA, Philippines - San Sebastian College struggled past St. Benilde, 25-23, 25-22, 25-22, yesterday to boost its semifinal bid in the 87th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) volleyball tournament at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. 

With the win, the Lady Stags moved to solo third behind early semifinalist University of Perpetual Help System Dalta (7-0) and Emilio Aguinaldo College (5-1).

In the other women’s match, the Lyceum Lady Pirates turned back the Jose Rizal Lady Bombers, 25-17, 20-25, 25-15, 25-19, to likewise remain in the hunt for a Final Four berth.

The victory snapped the Lady Pirates’ two-game slide and kept them in the thick of the fight with a 3-3 mark for joint fifth with the Letran Lady Knights, a game behind the San Beda Lionesses (4-2), another team chasing a spot in the next round. 

The Lady Blazers, who fought the Lady Stags in several title tiffs in the past decade, took their sixth loss in seven games and dropped out of contention.

In men’s play, the Blazers outsteadied the Stags, 25-21, 23-25, 21-25, 25-11, 15-11, to chalk up their fourth victory in seven games. 

In juniors play, the SSC Staglets outclassed the CSB-La Salle Greenhills, 25-16, 25-8, 25-6.