The UB Brahmans semifinal ticket is booked. University of Batangas swept Centro Escolar University 25-17, 25-20, 25-23 on Friday at the Millennium Gym in Batangas City, keeping its back-to-back bid alive in the PGFlex Linoleum-UCAL Season 9 Volleyball Championships.
The defending champions had their wildly-cheering fans behind them, and they needed that noise in the third set. CEU hung around until the closing points before UB shut the door at 25-23.
UB Brahmans semifinal berth sets up Blue Hawks clash
Jimmy Casabuena turned in an inspired game for the Brahmans, and UB repulsed every CEU challenge across the three sets. Next up is Immaculada Concepcion College, the second seed and an outright semifinalist.
It's a one-game knockout, so there's no room for a slow start. Win and the repeat mission stays on track; slip up and the back-to-back talk ends right there.
Talban's 20 points send Dolphins through
Philippine Christian University-Dasmariñas clinched the fourth and last semifinal berth, outclassing Manila Central University 25-20, 25-13, 25-14. Darren Talban led the way with a 20-point showing for the Dolphins.
The reward is a tougher assignment: top-seeded Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates in the other one-game knockout match. That's the steepest climb left on the bracket.
So the Final Four is set — UB against Immaculada Concepcion College, and PCU-Dasmariñas against Lyceum. Two knockout matches, two title shots on the line.
This report is based on the original coverage by philstar.com.
