Benilde flaunts balanced offense in beatdown of JRU

Published April 14, 2024 2:34pm

Updated April 14, 2024 2:34pm

De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde showed off its depth after knocking down hapless Jose Rizal University, 25-13, 25-12, 25-20, in the NCAA Season 99 women’s volleyball tournament on Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.

The defending champions needed just an hour and 14 minutes to cruise to their 32nd straight win since 2020 and improved to 3-0 in their three-peat drive this season. 

The Lady Bombers, however, fell to a deep 0-3 hole after also losing to Perpetual and EAC in their previous outings.

But like in their past two meetings, Benilde once again struggled in the endgame as the Lady Bombers posed a threat in the third frame.

The Taft crew was already enjoying a 17-12 lead before JRU made it a three-point deficit after a 7-5 run capped by a service error from Zam Nolasco, 19-22.

Wielyn Estoque then went off the hands of Lyka Egera for a 23-19 cushion but Karyla Jasareno destroyed the block of Mich Gamit and Gayle Pascual for a big response.

The veteran opposite hitter Pascual, meanwhile, retaliated with back-to-back attacks that sealed it for the Jerry Yee-mentored squad.

All but two Benilde players scored at least a point with Gamit top-scoring anew with eight points anchored on six attacks, one block, and one ace while Estoque churned out eight markers as well.

Pascual and Nolasco each finished with seven points.

Benilde head coach Jerry Yee, though, said there is a lot of room for improvement for them despite kicking off their title defense with three convincing wins. 

“We try not to mind those, ‘yung mga streak. We don’t even count so kulang pa,” Yee said. 

“Kulang pa ‘yung execution, ang dami pang aayusin so hopefully maayos.”

(We try not to mind those kinds of streak. We don’t event count so there’s still something lacking in the execution. There are still things to be fixed so hopefully it gets done.)

JRU banked on team captain May Ruiz, who posted nine points and three digs while Jasareno finished with six.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News