UCAL volleyball semifinals are locked in, and the defending champion is still standing. University of Batangas swept Centro Escolar University 25-17, 25-20, 25-23 on Friday, November 6, at the Millennium Gym in Batangas City, keeping its back-to-back bid alive in the PGFlex Linoleum-UCAL Season 9 Volleyball Championships.
The UB Brahmans drew an inspired game from Jimmy Casabuena and repulsed every CEU Scorpions challenge. The third set was the tightest of the night, with UB closing it out 25-23 in front of a loudly cheering home crowd.
UCAL volleyball semifinals: UB Brahmans meet ICC Blue Hawks
UB now faces the second-seeded Immaculada Concepcion College Blue Hawks, an outright semifinalist, in a one-game knockout. Lyceum, ICC and UB all finished the single-round eliminations at 7-1, but Lyceum and ICC claimed the two outright semis berths on more points.
Darren Talban lifts PCU-Dasmarinas past MCU
Philippine Christian University-Dasmarinas took the fourth and last semis berth by outclassing Manila Central University, 25-20, 25-13, 25-14, behind Darren Talban's 20-point showing. The Dolphins get the tougher draw: top-seeded Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates in the other knockout match. All semifinals are scheduled for Tuesday, November 10.
CEU and Lyceum fill out the women's Final Four
The CEU Lady Scorpions, starting Clarenz Aztoveza, outlasted the Philippine Women's University Lady Patriots 25-19, 25-15, 22-25, 23-25, 15-13 to book a Final Four date with the still-undefeated ICC Lady Blue Hawks. Aztoveza finished with 21 points on 14 attacks, four blocks and three aces.
The LPU Lady Pirates outlasted the PCU-D Lady Dolphins 20-25, 25-17, 25-17, 25-21 and will meet longtime rival UB Lady Brahmans. Trixie Rostro led LPU-B with 23 points, built on 18 attacks, two blocks and three aces.
So what's the headliner on Tuesday? UB's title defense runs through ICC, and PCU-D has to solve Lyceum to keep its own run going. Both are win-or-go-home.
Read the original report at philstar.com.
