Unbeaten University of the Philippines turned back San Beda University, 20-25, 25-17, 25-17, 25-22, 25-20, to book a ticket in the quarterfinals of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation Challenge Cup on Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
The Fighting Maroons pulled off a reverse sweep from a set down against the Lady Red Spikers in the battle between unscathed squads in almost two hours of play for a 3-0 slate in Pool D on their way to the knockout Top-8.
UP handled its previous businesses against Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas, 25-14, 25-11, 25-17, and La Salle-Dasmariñas, 25-16, 25-27, 25-8, 25-16.
San Beda, despite the loss at 2-1 slate, still punched a ticket in the next round to join UP as representatives of Pool D in the overall 16-team women’s division of supported by the Philippine Sports Commission headed by chairman Richard Bachmann, PLDT, Rebisco, Akari, Foton and CBPI.
The Lady Red Spikers claimed the second seeding in Pool D courtesy of wins against La Salle-Dasma, 25-19, 25-17, 25-16 and LPU-Batangas, 25-17, 25-13, 25-18.
In other women’s division games, UP Volleyball Club (1-1) stayed in playoff contention in Pool A with a 25-11, 25-15, 25-16 win over the Volida VolleybalL Club (0-2)
Jose Rizal U (2-1) joined the Philippine Air Force (3-0) as the quarterfinalists from Pool C after a 25-13, 25-16, 25-13 win over Tacloban City-EV (0-3).
Over at the men’s play, UAAP champion National U and runner-up University of Santo Tomas moved on the cusp from sweeping their respective pools to spice their quarterfinal qualification.
NU fended off the University of the East-Cherrylume, 25-22, 25-23, 25-20, for a 3-0 card in Pool B as UST thwarted Iloilo, 25-23, 25-23, 25-2 for the same record in Pool D.
VNS Asereht with a 25-11, 25-19, 25-17 win over Arellano finished its campaign at 3-1, with its lone loss coming against NU, to join the latter as quarterfinalists of Pool B in the 20-team men’s division of the Challenge Cup by the PNVF headed by Ramon “Tats” Suzara.
Games Monday (Rizal Memorial Coliseum, Mainla)
9 a.m. – RTU vs UE
11 a.m. – NU vs AU
1 p.m. – Parañaque vs JRU
3 p.m. – UB vs Savouge Aesthetics
5 p.m. – Tacloban vs EAC
