Lady Stags upset playoffs-bound Blue Eagles

Games today:

(Rizal Memorial Coliseum)

12 p.m. — Adamson vs NU

2 p.m. — Saint Benilde vs San Beda

4 p.m. — UST vs FEU

San Sebastian College-Recoletos pulled off a reverse sweep over Ateneo de Manila University, 19-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 15-8, to exit the 2025 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Preseason Unity Cup with its head held up high on Friday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The Lady Stags finished with a 1-2 win-loss record in Pool D, tied with the Blue Eagles. However, Ateneo punched the last ticket to the second round with a 4-2 match points advantage over San Sebastian.

Graduating winger Kath Santos poured 20 of her 21 points from kills in her last game as a Lady Stag in the tournament.

“We didn’t expect this win. But we really worked hard and helped each out,” said Santos, who scored 10 points in the fourth set.

San Sebastian carried the momentum of its third and fourth set wins into the deciding frame as it raced to a comfortable 10-4 advantage capped by Juna Gonzales’ back-to-back hits.

A service error by Ana Hermosura widened the Lady Stags’ lead to 13-6 before May Tsunashima pounded consecutive hits to bring the Blue Eagles back to life.

Santos answered with a hit before Tsunashima committed the last of Ateneo’s 34 errors with an overcooked spike to end the two-hour, two-minute contest.

Hermosura had 15 points while Faye Nisperos got 13 for the Blue Eagles, who will take on Adamson University to kick off their single round-robin second round campaign in Pool E on Sunday.

In the first game, University of the Philippines (UP) completed a three-game sweep of Pool C in an emphatic 25-22, 25-18, 25-19 crushing of listless Letran College.

Casiey Dongallo submitted nine points off the bench to pace the Fighting Maroons in the final preliminary round playdate of the spikefest.

Yesha Noceja added seven points while Sarah Ali, Bienne Bansil and Jelai Gajero added six points each to highlight UP’s balanced offense.

The Lady Knights ended their campaign winless in three starts.

Judiel Nitura and Jogi Maquillang had nine and eight points for Letran.

Meanwhile, second round-bound Far Eastern University (FEU) and Adamson University decided to forfeit their Pool B match due to prior commitments.

Both teams won their first two games without dropping a set, but the Lady Tamaraws secured the top seeding in the pool via higher point quotient.

Second round matches on Saturday pit University of Santo Tomas, which swept Mapua University, 25-19, 25-17, 25-22, on Thursday to advance, against FEU at 4 p.m. while unbeaten College of Saint Benilde squares off with San Beda University at 2 p.m. in Pool F.

Undefeated four-peat-seeking National University crosses paths with Adamson in Pool E at noon.

The top two-ranked squads after the second round will be armed with a twice-to-beat advantage in the crossover quarterfinals.

In the third game, unbeaten four-peat-seeking National University primed up for the second round with a 25-13, 25-15, 25-21, clobbering of Lyceum of the Philippines University.

Kaye Bombita, Vange Alinsug and Chams Maaya fired eight points apiece in leading the Lady Bulldogs to a three-game sweep of Pool A.

NU and Adamson University, the National Invitationals Davao Leg and Cebu Leg winners, respectively, clash on Saturday to open the second round.

The Lady Pirates end their run with a 1-2 card.