Lady Stags charge back in five-set thriller
PLAYERS from San Sebastian celebrate their reverse sweep of Emilio Aguinaldo College, 16-25, 18-25, 27-25, 25-23, 15-6, in the 2026 Shakey’s Super League Unity Cup on Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Photograph courtesy of SSL
Games on 9 October:
(Rizal Memorial Coliseum)
1 p.m. — SSC-R vs FEU
3 p.m. -— NU vs Letran
5 p.m. -— UP vs Adamson
San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSC-R)turned to team captain Juna Gonzales in the closing stretch of the deciding set to complete a reverse sweep of Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC), 16-25, 18-25, 27-25, 25-23, 15-6, in the 2026 Shakey’s Super League Unity Cup on Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Gonzales scored five of the Lady Stags’ 9-0 sizzler to finish off a stunned Lady Generals side for a good start in Pool C of the league’s centerpiece competition.
Tied at 6 in the deciding frame, Gonzales opened SSC-R’s barrage with a thunderous kill. EAC had no answer to the Lady Stags’ assault as Gonzales continued to pound missiles capped by a hit that put SSC-R at match point.
Lady Stags setter Patrixia Abulencia sealed the match with a well-timed kill block over Shamira Pantoja.
Gonzales scored all of her 19 points on kills and added four digs for SSC-R.
Kleiner Abraham finished with 13 points while middle blocker Marianne Tayag got 12 points on nine attacks and three kill blocks for the Lady Stags, whose victory in the two-hour, 25-minute encounter was aided by EAC’s 33 errors.
SSC-R saved a match point in the third set and took a 25-24 lead. The Lady Generals forced a deuce but a net-touch infraction followed by a Liana Fabella kill gave the Lady Stags an opening to mount a comeback.
Angel Joy Perez paced EAC with 17 points, 16 coming from spikes, while Cara Dayanan scored 15. Angelica Pasaol and Marinel Ramos added 14 and 11 points, respectively, for the Lady Generals.
Meanwhile, National University opened its five-peat bid with a 25-14, 25-19, 25-18 demolition of San Beda University in Pool A on Saturday evening.
Arah Panique unloaded nine points while Vange Alinsug, Celine Marsh and Harlyn Serneche chipped in seven each as the Lady Bulldogs joined Arellano University on top of the pool standings in the tournament.
Daisy Cagas and Angel Habacon led the Lady Red Spikers with eight and seven points, respectively.
Action resumes on 9 October.