College of Saint Benilde’s bid to reach mythical status begins Sunday while Letran College attempts to put an end to its 25-year title drought when the two squads kick off the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 99 women’s volleyball title showdown at the Filoil EcoOil Arena in San Juan.

Hostilities start at 2 p.m. with Saint Benilde favored to stretch its amazing run spanning 30 games stretching back to 2020.

A win will put the Lady Blazers on the brink of completing its third straight 11-game sweep.

Game 2 is slated Sunday while a decider, if necessary, is going to be held 1 June also at the same venue.

“Expectations aside, all teams are on equal footing when they get to the Finals. Both teams have to execute their plans and strategies come game time,” said Saint Benilde coach Jerry Yee, whose charges swept the elimination round in nine games including a 21, 25-18, 25-21, 25-19 win over Letran last 1 April.

For the Lady Knights, they’ve completed a return to the finals since making it that far 12 years back.

Letran’s success lately is widely credited to new coach Oliver Almadro, a four-time Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines champion who brought his winning ways to the Dominican school.

“I am not the only one excited; the whole community of Colegio de San Juan de Letran shares this excitement. It’s been a while since the school qualified for the Finals,” said Almadro, whose squad finished No. 2 with a 7-2 record before outlasting Lyceum of the Philippines University, 25-15, 25-21, 19-25, 19-25, 15-11, in the stepladder semis to catch the last bus to the finals.

“We are so blessed to have reached this far in NCAA Season 99, thanks to the faith, discipline, and determination of the players who embraced the system and their eagerness to learn.”