Saint Benilde, Letran start title showdown

Drawing the first blood will be the order of battlw when College of Saint Benilde and Letran College open their Season 101 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) women’s volleyball tournament best-of-three finals showdown on Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Game time is set at 12 p.m. with the Lady Blazers looking for a win that will put them a heartbeat away from their fifth straight title in the country’s oldest collegiate league.

It’s going to be the third straight time for Saint Benilde and Letran to collide in a title finale.

The Lady Blazers previously showed almost no signs of vulnerability in their campaign as they absorbed only two defeats from early 2020 until March 2025. They also strung together 43 straight wins and captured four championships during that span.

Saint Benilde, however, blew hot and cold this year as it absorbed three losses in 13 Group A matches and settled for the second seed in its group.

Lady Blazers’ star spiker Zam Nolasco stressed that their journey to the finals has been a blessing in disguise, especially with the absence of former Most Valuable Player Mycah Go and other stars who are now playing in the professional ranks.

“We’ve grown more as a unit. We learned how to navigate struggles, and that — alongside the smarts of coach Jerry (Yee) — helped us become stronger as a team,” said Nolasco, whose squad dropped matches to Letran, University of Perpetual Help System Dalta and San Beda University in the group phase.

The Lady Blazers displayed maturity after sweeping the Lady Altas in the Final Four to become the first team to book a spot in the finals.

Still, Nolasco expects a tougher challenge from Letran, which has elevated its level this season after dropping just one match in its first 17 outings.

“We may have beaten them in the last two years, but they’re more dangerous now,” she said.

Letran’s near-perfect run, highlighted by a 15-game winning streak that was snapped only by San Beda in Game 2 of the semifinals, has been fueled by the maturity of its core under a revitalized coaching staff.

Lady Knights legend Mayeth Carolino now serves as head coach, with Finnish mentor Aleksi Lahteenimaki lending international experience. Their guidance has instilled new confidence in Letran, which even owns a five-set win over Saint Benilde earlier this season.

But for Carolino, who replaced former Letran coach Oliver Almadro, the credit belongs to the players.

“Our leaders, Judiel (Nitura) and (Vanessa) Sarie, have been outstanding, and everyone else has stepped up. They deserve the credit for our improvement,” said Carolino, a former national team member and a two-time NCAA champion with Letran.

She said their growth will be crucial as they seek to end a 27-year title drought.

“That semifinal loss was something we needed. It gave us perspective we didn’t have before,” Carolino said. “We saw what happens when we ease up even a little, so I know the players will be ready for the Finals.”