SAN Sebastian College – Recoletos (SSC-R) and José Rizal University (JRU) eye a chance to fight for a finals seat as they battle each other on Friday in a do-or-die showdown in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 97 volleyball at the Filoil Flying V Arena.
The Lady Stags wound up the No. 3 seed after finishing with a 5-3 record while the Lady Bombers survived the Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) Lady Pirates, 25-11, 16-25, 17-25, 25-21, 17-15, on Tuesday and then edged the Mapua Lady Cardinals via quotient to claim the fourth and last spot in the stepladder semis.
The winner of the 2 p.m. showdown will battle No. 2 Arellano University in another knockout duel for the right to face College of St. Benilde, which swept the elimination round in nine games to seal the first slot to the best-of-three finale.
SSC-R coach Roger Gorayeb vows to give it all to gain another chance of adding another trophy to their 23 they have in their massive cabinet of hardware back in campus in Legarda, Manila.
“We’re going all out for that win,” said SSC-R coach Roger Gorayeb, owner of all but two of the proud school’s 23 women’s titles.
Mr. Gorayeb is hoping it could minimize committing errors that cost them their last elimination round game at the hands of LPU, 25-27, 25-22, 16-25, 25-18, 15-13, a week ago.
“We hope to have less errors, if possible,” said Mr. Gorayeb.
JRU, for its part, is expected to ride high on the school’s second semifinal appearance.
“We dedicate everything to the JRU community, this is for them,” said JRU mentor Mia Tioseco. — Joey Villar