Eight straight wins and counting.
University of Perpetual Help System Dalta overpowered San Sebastian College, 25-19, 25-20, 25-21, on Monday to move on cusp of sweeping its way straight to the finals for the second straight season in the men’s division of the 94th NCAA volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.
Joebert Almodiel, last year’s rookie Most Valuable Player, came through with another all-around effort and finished with a match-high 18 points, including 13 on kills and four on service aces, while helping the team in defense with 11 receptions as the Altas clinched their eighth straight win.
The Las Pinas-based school thus moved one triumph closer from sweeping the elimination round for the second straight year and barging into the best-of-three finals outright.
UPHSD swept the elims last season, but lost in Game One in the finals to Arellano University in a series the former eventually won in three games to snare its third straight title and 11th overall.
Now the Altas have a chance of duplicating the feat as they clash with the already-ran Jose Rizal Bombers (2-6) on Thursday.
The Stags fell to their fourth defeat against four triumphs and out of the Final Four race.
UPHSD’s junior team also moved on the verge of a sweep as it claimed its eighth win in row with a merciless 25-15, 25-23, 25-17 win over SSC earlier.
Power-hitting Noel Michael Kampton went on a spiking spree and unloaded 21 kills to finish with a match-best 23 hits.
The Staglets bowed out of contention with a 3-6 mark.
In women’s play, UPHSD turned back SSC, 25-19, 25-8, 18-25, 25-17, to stay in the Final Four hunt with a fifth win against three defeats.
It will play JRU on Thursday eyeing nothing less than a win that will book it a return trip to the Final Four alongside AU, San Beda and St. Benilde.”‹
