Perpetual spikers stay unbeaten as year ends

MANILA, Philippines - Defending women’s champion University of Perpetual Help System Dalta (UPHSD) Lady Altas ended the year with a 25-12, 25-21, 25-19 victory over Intramuros-based Lady Knights and posted the best winning record during the last two years in  the  NCAA volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The Lady Altas of coaches Jason Sapin and Sandy Rieta stayed unscathed in five games to remain at the top spot (5-0), with reigning MVP Sandra delos Santos collecting 17 markers, 15 of them from attacks, with an ace and a block, while Bacoor, Cavite natives Jane Diaz and April Sartin chipped in 11 points.

Perpetual continued its dominance in the league, extending its winning streak to 19 since the previous season. Four of their five games this year were decided in just three sets. The lone team to push them into a five setter match was San Sebastian College, 25-19, 22-25, 25-14, 20-25, 21-19, but the Las Piñas-based lasses propitiously dodged the threat.

In the men’s division of RP coach Sinfronio “Sammy” Acaylar, Perpetual Altas oiutlasted the Letran Knights, 22-25, 25-23, 19-25, 26-24, 15-11, behind the 23 points of skipper Jay dela Cruz in their final game of the year.

Junior Altas’ Eldrige Capal smashed the ball over Jani Catangal and Julian Santos of Colegio De San Juan de Letran Squires during the first volleyball duel of the day. The younger Altas team won in straight sets, 25-14, 25-20, 25-19. Capal scored 15 points, eight solid spikes and four power blocks.