Lady Blazers continue winning streak by beating SSC-R

Games Friday
(Filoil EcoOil Arena)
7:30 a.m. — JRU vs Letran (men)
10 a.m. — JRU vs Letran (women)
2 p.m. — AU vs San Beda (women)
5 p.m. — AU vs San Beda (men)

THE COLLEGE of St. Benilde (CSB) Lady Blazers’ magnificent streak lives on.

Overcoming a second-set bump, CSB was resilient enough to hold back an upset-conscious San Sebastian College (SSC-R) as it hacked out a 25-13, 23-25, 25-13, 25-14 victory on Wednesday that kept the former undefeated for four straight years now in NCAA Season 99 women’s volleyball at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.

It was the fourth win in a row for coach Jerry Yee’s charges that sent them alone at No. 1 again and 33 straight overall since starting that record run in 2020 when it won seven straight before the season was called off due to the pandemic.

It then swept its way to a pair of championships in 22 games when league action resumed after the global malady to sustain one of the longest streaks in Philippine sports.

Mr. Yee though stressed he’s not into counting streaks.

“We’re not even thinking about it,” he said.

But it looked like it would end on this one after the Lady Stags snatched the second set to knot it at one set apiece.

The three-peat-eyeing champions were unperturbed and came back with a vengeance by dominating the next two that sealed it.

Wielyn Estoque emerged the team’s best scorer with 11 points while Michelle Gamit and captain Jessa Dorog scattered 10 hits each.

Cloanne Mondonedo was also brilliant as she not only fueled CSB’s relentless attack with 19 excellent sets, she also did some of the scoring as she chipped in six points, including grenade-like service aces.

That sent SSC-R, which was led by Kat Santos’ match-high 17 hits, sprawling to its fourth defeat in a row. — Joey Villar