Benilde sweeps Mapua, books ticket to NCAA men's volleyball Final Four
NCAA
De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde swept league-leading Mapua University, 25-22, 25-20, 25-23, on Friday in the NCAA Season 100 men's volleyball tournament to officially book a ticket to the Final Four.
The Cardinals were trying to extend the match as they were tied with the Blazers, 20-20. James Marasigan then put the Blazers in front before a block touch challenge by Benilde went in their favor. An attack error put the Cardinals within one but Rocky Roy Motol's attack and a block by the Blazers pushed them to match point.
Mapua then salvaged two more before Jacob Herrera put the exclamation point for the Blazers.
Marasigan led the Taft-based squad with 14 points and 14 receptions, while Motol and Herrera had 11 points each.
The Blazers, meanwhile, held scoring leader Barbie San Andres to just nine points, while Arjay Ramos had 11 points for Mapua. Olsen Jamisola added 10 points.
With the victory, Benilde returned to the Final Four for the first time since Season 94 in 2019 when they reached the finals against the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA. In Season 95, the tournament was cut short due to the pandemic, while they missed the semis bus in Seasons 98 and 99. No men's tournament was held in Seasons 96 and 97.
The win also propelled Benilde to the second spot as they improved to 13-3 behind the league-leading Cardinals who slipped to 14-3.
The Blazers will still face defending champion Perpetual and Lyceum of the Philippines University, while the Final Four-bound Mapua will finish the elimination round against Colegio de San Juan de Letran on Wednesday.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
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