
Photograph courtesy of NCAA.
College of Saint Benilde’s vaunted firepower was on full display as it crushed Letran College 25-19, 25-22, 25-19 in Game 2 to secure its fourth straight title in Season 100 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) women’s volleyball tournament yesterday at the Playtime Filoil Centre.
Cristy Ondongan led the charge, helping the Lady Blazers pocket the title that sustained their dominance in the best-of-three title series of the country’s oldest collegiate league.
Ondongan delivered a team-high 13 points for Saint Benilde of head coach Jerry Getigan.
“This season was hard since we experienced losses. We were able to adjust since this year’s elimination round is a double round robin,” said Getigan, who took over the reins from Jerry Yee.
“We were just able to execute our game plan. It’s a different feeling whenever you win a championship. They deserve it.”
Skipper Mycah Go, who was drafted 17th overall by Zus Coffee in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL), capped her NCAA career with a bang as she emerged as Most Valuable Player (MVP), 1st Best Outside Spiker, and the Finals MVP to go with her latest NCAA title.
She is set to reunite with former Saint Benilde teammates Gayle Pascual and Cloanne Mondoñedo at the Thunderbelles, which is being owned by Saint Benilde benefactor in businessman Frank Lao.
Other awardees in the women’s division are Judiel Nitura (Best Opposite), Vanessa Sarie (2nd Best Outside Spiker), Lara Mae Silva (Best Libero) of Letran, Zamantha Nolasco (1st Best Middle Blocker) and Kristine Joy Dionisio (2nd Best Middle Blocker) of Saint Benilde.
Sarie also took home both the Rookie and Freshman of the Year awards.
Meanwhile, Arellano University won its first-ever NCAA men’s volleyball title following a 24-26, 25-21, 25-15, 25-17 Game 2 win over Letran in the first game.
Carl Berdal dropped 16 points for the Chiefs, who won their first-ever men’s crown since joining the league in 2009.
“All those sacrifices and the hard work that our team went through with the coaching staff really paid off,’’ said Berdal, who was named the Finals MVP.
“Most of us will graduate this season and we were able to achieve this. I cannot express how happy I am for giving our school its first NCAA title.”
Aside from Berdal, emerging with special awards are Rocky Motol of Saint Benilde (Rookie of the Year, 1st Best Outside Spiker and MVP), Barbie San Andres of Mapua University (2nd Best Outside Spiker), Vince Himzon of Letran (1st Best Middle Blocker) and John Adriane Austero of Saint Benilde (2nd Best Middle Blocker).