UB boosts title-retention chances

Defending champion University of Batangas (UB) kept its back-to-back title bid alive, beating Centro Escolar University (CEU) in straight sets, 25-17, 25-20, 25-23, to advance to the Final Four of the PGFlex Linoleum-UCAL Season 9 Volleyball Championships held Friday before its wildly-cheering fans at the Millennium Gym in Batangas City.

Drawing inspired game from Jimmy Casabuena, the UB Brahmans repulsed every challenge of the CEU Scorpions, especially in the third set, to set up an interesting duel with the second-seeded and outright semifinalist Immaculada Concepcion College (ICC) Blue Hawks.

Clinching the fourth and last semis berth was the Philippine Christian University-Dasmariñas, which outclassed Manila Central University, 25-20, 25-13, 25-14, thanks to the 20-point show of Darren Talban.

The Dolphins, however, will have a more daunting task in the semis as they take on the top-seeded Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates in the other one-game knockout match.

All semis matches will be played on Tuesday.

Lyceum, ICC and UB actually finished with similar 7-1 records at the end of the single-round eliminations, but Lyceum and ICC secured the two outright semis berths by virtue of having more points.