Arellano spanks Lyceum

VOLLEY

Arellano University ramped up its playoff drive by toppling Lyceum, 25-22, 17-25, 25-21, 25-17 in the 2023 Shakey's Super League Collegiate Pre-Season Championship Season 2 Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

Laika Tudlasan took the spotlight anew with 19 points on 17 hits and two aces as the Lady Chiefs closed out their preliminary campaign in Pool B at 2-1 after a 25-16, 25-21, 25-21 sweep of San Beda in the opener.

Arellano's lone loss came at the expense of Adamson (1-0), 19-25, 17-25, 22-25, sporting a pretty chance to advance in the next round pending the final Pool B matches that also feature Lyceum (1-1) and San Beda (0-2).

Tudlasan drew support from Marianne Padillion with 14 points as Donnalyn Paralejas dished out 22 excellent sets on top of four points in Arellano's crucial win in the 16-team spikefest.

"This was a very important win for us because if we lost this game, we might have the chance to make the Top 2," Paralejas said.

Save for a second-set struggle in a 17-25 defeat, the Lady Chiefs kept the Lady Pirates at bay the majority of the match highlighted by a resilient stand in the third set to take a 2-1 lead.

Tudlasan anchored Arellano's great comeback from a 12-17 deficit, riding on a 13-4 finishing kick punctuated by a thunderous hit off the block by Pauline de Guzman, who finished with seven points.

Smelling blood, the Lady Chiefs never allowed a window of opportunity for the Lady Pirates since then with a searing 10-5 start in the fourth set.

Stacey Lopez scored 11 while Johna Dolorito and Hiromi Osada had 10 each in the losing cause for Lyceum, which will clash on Monday against Adamson in a must-win battle of the SSL Season 2 with the Commission on Higher Education and the Philippine Sports Commission.