NCAA Wrap: Lions lose in volley but win in tennis, football

MANILA, Philippines – Perpetual Help routed San Beda, 25-18, 25-11, 25-15, to boost its four-peat bid in the 90th NCAA women's volleyball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City Friday.

Skipper Jamela Suyat led all hitters with 11 while Ana James Diocareza scattered 10 to help the Lady Altas, the reigning three-peat champions, jump to a share of second spot with the San Sebastian Lady Stags with 7-1 (win-loss) slates.

More importantly, the Las Pinas-based school moved half a game closer to Arellano University, which is unbeaten in seven outings.

"The key is to learn each and every match and use it when it matters most," said Perpetual Help coach Sammy Acaylar in Filipino.

In the only other women's match of the day, Lyceum downed Mapua, 22-25, 25-14, 25-12, 25-17, to improve to 2-5.

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In soft tennis, San Beda blanked San Sebastian, 3-0, on wins by Chnna Mamawal and Princess Catindig, Alyanna Villoria and Virginia Perez and Emily Vasquez to move two wins away from claiming its first ever title in the sport, which is on its third season as a regular event.

Mamawal and Catindig smashed Denise Javate and Monica Somera, 5-1; Villoria whitewashed Diane Viloria, 4-0; and Perez and Vasquez bashed Lieshel Frencillo and Aidelvize Santos, 5-0, to complete the one-sided triumph.

The Lionesses, which clinched the first round pennant with a clean seven-match sweep, will clinch the crown if they could hurdle the College of St. Benilde Lady Blazers, who won the first two stagings of the event, and the Perpetual Help Lady Altas.

Perpetual Help, for its part, kept its title hopes alive after pulling off a stunning 2-1 triumph over St. Benilde clinched by the 4-1 win by Ana Saguiped over Patricia Paez in the singles match.

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Over at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, Miguel Caindec scored two goals in a hurry late in the first half as San Beda outlasted College of St. Benilde, 3-1, to seize the solo lead in men's football action.

After San Beda's Jay-R Sandoval and St. Benilde's Robert Orlandez traded rockets in the first 15 minutes of the match, Caindec came out of nowhere and blasted away with a pair of rockets spanning just five minutes starting from the 39th minute.

It was all the Lions, seeking a fourth straight crown this year, needed as they shut down the Blazers the rest of the way to send them to the top with 12 match points on a pristine 4-0 (win-loss) record.

Arellano fell from first to second with 11 points after it was held to a 1-1 draw by Lyceum.

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In lawn tennis, Letran, San Beda, San Sebastian and Perpetual Help all made it to the second round in the seniors' division.

San Beda, for its part, remained unscathed with seven wins to move a match win away from snaring the first round juniors pennant.

Letran and San Sebastian are also assured of spots in the second round while La Salle-Greenhills and Emilio Aguinaldo College are contesting the fourth and final spot in the next phase.