Perpetual Help scores rare sweep of NCAA volley titles

MANILA, Philippines - University of Perpetual Help System Dalta made history as it captured the men’s and women’s crowns in the 87th NCAA volleyball tournament via sweeps at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium yesterday.

The Altas walloped the San Beda Lions, 25-14, 25-14, 25-23, and the Lady Altas blasted the Letran Lady Knights, 25-15, 26-24, 25-10, to sweep their respective title series and cap the season with 14-0 slates.

The pair of sweeps was the first in the league history although San Sebastian won both the men’s and ladies titles from 1994-96 and in 2002.

“We’ve worked hard just to win this trophy and everything we did really paid off,” said Perpetual coach Sammy Acaylar in Filipino.

It was Perpetual’s second straight championship in the men’s division while the women’s side relished its first ever championship since joining the league in the 80s.

“It’s a sweet feeling, finally winning our first women’s volleyball crown, it’s an unbelievable feeling really,” said Perpetual’s women’s mentor Mike Rafael, who was hugged by his players after their title conquest.

After dominating the first two sets, the Altas, who struggled past the Lions in the series’ opener Friday, 28-26, 25-22, 25-22, slowed down a bit in the third but frustrated their rivals by taking seven of the last 12 points to break an 18-all count and wrap up the crown.

The Lady Altas, for their part, had a trouble-free stint in the opening set but were dragged into an extended second-set duel before prevailing. They re-stamped their class in the third to complete the sweep.

The Lady Altas whooped it up at center court, huggging each other and their coaches before waving to the Perpetual crowd that came in full force.

“It was a proud feeling witnessing history unfold,” said league president Anthony Tamayo of season host Perpetual.

It took key plays from Marcelo Joaquin, Allan Daquer and JR dela Cruz late in the third and final set to break out of an 18-all deadlock and finally put away the final, desperate challenge put up by the Lions to hand the Altas their second straight title.