Letran’s Gia Maquilang and Lara Mae Silva topped San Beda’s Angel Mae Habacon and Reyanna Cañete, 21-17, 21-10, in the afternoon matches Friday and claimed the first Final Four seat in NCAA Season 99 women’s beach volleyball in Subic Bay.
The win was the defending champions’ seventh straight and two more wins against University of Perpetual Help and Emilio Aguinaldo College would complete an amazing sweep.
But Maguilang and Silva would only need just one win to ensure them a vital twice-to-beat advantage in the playoff round.
For Habacon and Cañete, it was their first defeat after six straight wins and fell to No. 2.
EAC’s Cathrine Almazan and Christine Joy Cordial caught up with UPHSD’s Mary Rhose Dapol and Krisha Cordero at No. 3 with a 5-2 record apiece after EAC prevailed, 14-21, 21-18, 15-11.
In the men’s division, reigning titlist UPHSD’s Louie Ramirez and Jefferson Marapoc flattened EAC’s Bhim Lawrence Diones and Ervin Patrick Osabel, 21-12, 21-14, improved to 6-1 to inch closer to the Final Four.
College of St. Benilde, Mapua and Arellano U dumped their respective foes to jump into a three-way logjam at No. 2 with 5-2 records that kept them in the Final Four hunt.
CSB’s Leonard Van Jaboli and Arnel Christian Aguilar outlasted Jose Rizal U’s Windel Laurenciana and Matthew Miguel, 21-16, 26-24; Mapua’s Kenneth Eslapor and Saint Marlowe Jamisola defeated San Sebastian’s Kyle Angelo Villamor and Jan Kerk Araño, 24-22, 21-12; and AU’s Adrian Villados and Arman Clarence Guinto routed Lyceum of the Philippines U’s Janse Palad and Josue Velasco III, 21-10, 21-18.
In juniors’ play, LPU’s Rodan Aguirre and Ace Van Blanco edged AU’s Wainn Wojtyla and John Lester Calura, 17-21, 21-17, 16-14, to seize the lead with seven points on a 5-2 slate.
