Letran ended its title drought in NCAA women’s volleyball after 28 years, outlasting defending champion College of Saint Benilde in a thrilling five-set final match, at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila last Friday, April 10.
Benilde won the men’s volleyball championship in three straight sets, 25-23, 25-18, 25-21, against Mapua in the earlier do-or-die game.
The Lady Knights refused to give up, bringing the fight against the Lady Blazers down to the wire and defeating the four-year champion in five sets, 15-25, 25-17, 26-24, 17-25, 15-12.
They forced a winner-take-all after their victory last April 6 and loss two days later.
After dropping the first set, 15-25, Letran ruled the second, 25-17, with strong performances from spiker Judiel Nitura and outside hitter Gia Maquilang. The game refused to stay one-sided as both teams played closely to their scores.
Letran led in the most competitive third set, keeping a 4-point lead, but Benilde’s Clydel Mae Catarig and team captain Chenae Basarte were able to come back, 23-22. Lady Knight Verenicce Colendra tied the game and her final serve secured the set for her team, 26-24.
In the deciding set, the Lady Knights had a 4-1 start, before a video challenge, revealing Benilde middle blocker Cam Bartolome’s spike out of bounds. This tied the game, 9-9.
Letran kept their composure, finally halting the Lady Blazers to 12 points. Outside hitter Joralyn Panangin served a championship clinching ace for a 15-12 score.
Colendra delivered the most points for Letran with 23. But the Finals MVP honors went to Nitura, after a strong first game where she had 21 points, and in Games 2 and 3 with nine points, respectively.
Throughout the match, chants of “Go Letran! Go Lady Knights!” rang out in waves, colliding with the unyielding “Go Benilde! Go Lady Blazers!” from across the coliseum. The crowd’s energy swelled with every rally, the cheers growing more urgent as the margin thinned in every set.
A decisive serve from Colendra sealed the third set for Letran, igniting an eruption of cheers and celebration from their side of the stands.
Down by two sets, Benilde’s star middle blocker and season MVP, Zam Nolasco, stepped up and delivered powerful spikes and clutch blocks to force a fifth set. She finished with a total of 27 points.
In the men’s volleyball championship match, Benilde’s Blazing Spikers ended their own title drought since 2017, sweeping the Mapua Cardinals.
Letran’s opposite hitter Reymark Betco received Finals MVP honors after a 17 point performance, following his 33-point masterpiece in Game 2. CS
Terrence John Martin A. Fernandez and Bea Bianca N. Nicerio are journalism students at Bicol University in Legazpi City and interns at CoverStory.ph.
