COLLEGE of Saint Benilde turned to Wewe Estoque in the nip-and-tuck deciding frame to defeat pesky Letran in a thrilling 23-25, 25-14, 19-25, 25-20, 17-15, marathon Game 2 escape to bag the bronze medal in the 2024 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) National Invitationals Tuesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The wing spiker scored the Lady Blazers’ last four points capped by back-to-back aces to complete a sweep of the best-of-three series.
CSB, the reigning three-peat NCAA champion, clawed its way back from a 1-2 match deficit for its first-ever podium finish in the tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Eurotel, Victory Liner, Team Rebel Sports and Mikasa.
Estoque scored two of the Lady Blazer’s three unanswered points in the fifth set that gave her squad a 13-12 lead but the Lady Knights fired back with consecutive hits from Nizelle Martin and Gia Maquilang that pushed Letran at matchpoint.
Lady Knights middle blocker Angelique Ledesma committed an error in the next play that extended the set before Maquilang scored on a kill for the matchpoint advantage.
Estoque knotted the game at 15 off a tip before sealing the deal at the service line to finish off the same team CSB beat in the NCAA Season 99 finals.
Rhea Densing fired 24 points off 20 kills and four kill blocks, Estoque had 18 points while Zamantha Nolasco and Clydel Catarig added 14 markers apiece for the Lady Blazers, who took the series opener, 21-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-17, last Monday.
“Nagtiwala lang kami sa sarili at sa team and teamwork din. Kung ano ang mali namin sa court pinag-uusapan namin na kailangan naming dumepensa kasi ‘yun ang kulang namin and sa opensa din,” said Densing, who scored four of CSB’s last five points in the fourth set that shattered a 20-20 deadlock to force a fifth set.
“Ayaw na rin namin paabutin sa Game 3 kasi mostly sa amin masakit na ang katawan at may mga iniinida na sa braso,” she added.
Grace Borromeo posted 11 points for CSB.
Protecting a 17-16 lead in the third frame, the Lady Knights used a telling 7-0 blast to shake off the Lady Blazers and move at set point. CSB answered with back-to-back hits but Nolasco committed a costly error after touching the net following a kill attempt to surrender the frame.
Maquilang paced Letran with 22 points highlighted by 19 kills, Martin got 15 points, while Judiel Nitura and Royce Dela Cruz chipped in 10 each.
Games in the SSL National Invitationals, organized by Athletic Events and Sports Management, Inc., are available via livestream on Smart Livestream and Puso Pilipinas and Solar Sports (cable).
