SSC beach volleybelles fight back for semifinal berth

Game today

2 p.m. – NU vs ADMU (Jrs finals)

MANILA, Philippines - San Sebastian’s Gretchel Soltones and Denice Lim continued their surge following an early setback as they trampled Perpetual Help’s Vhima Condada and Jamela Suyat, 21-17, 21-10, to barge into the semifinal round of the 90th NCAA beach volleyball in Subic yesterday.

It was the Lady Stags’ fourth straight win after dropping a three-setter to Letran with Soltones’ citing her teammate’s improved service game as key to their charge.

“In our early loss, Denice had a critical service error that cost us a match. But she has since taken care of it and practiced her services right,” said Soltones.

Letran’s Kathleen Barrinuevo and Mariel Larioque surprised the fancied Lady Stags with a 21-17, 16-21, 15-13 win but the latter struck back to beat St. Benilde’s Janine Navarro and Paulina Ong, 14-21, 21-19, 15-11, Lyceum’s Erika Layug and Alanee Paredes, 21-19, 21-12, and San Beda’s Camille dela Peña and Debbie Dulta, 14-21, 21-19, 15-11.

Also in the semis are Arellano University’s Angelica Legacion and Elaine Sagun, who posted their sixth straight win with a 21-13, 21-13 rout of Barrinuevo and Larioque, while Perpetual Help’s Gabriel Casana and Ricky Marcos kept their championship hopes alive in the men’s side.