Desire played a vital role in College of Saint Benilde’s title romp in Season 98 National Collegiate Athletic Association volleyball tournament.
Lady Blazers head coach Jerry Yee felt the team only got better as the tournament progressed and it showed when the Taft-based squad registered a 25-19, 25-11, 25-20 win over first-time finalist Lyceum of the Philippines University in Game of their best-of-three affair last Friday.
The victory also extended Saint Benilde’s winning run extend to 29 games, a feat that stretches back to 2020.
“Honestly, this championship was harder. We had a few five-set games along the way and we had to adjust,” said Yee, who also calls the shots for Adamson University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament.
“Everybody was eager to contribute. They all wanted to win so I just told them to bring whatever they can contribute, know their roles and do their parts and everything will come through for us,” added the mentor who turned 49 on the same day the Lady Blazers won back-to-back crowns.
Gayle Pascual, picked as the Best Opposite Striker, said the team struggled on its way to the top.
“We went through a lot this season,” Pascual said, stressing that playing Game 3 was not an option.
“We didn’t want this series to be hard on ourselves. We already got Game 1 so we really wanted to win Game 2.”
Also lending a hand to the Lady Blazers’ triumph were Jade Gentapa, the Finals MVP and 2nd Best Middle Blocker, Cloanne Mondonedo and Michelle Gamit as well as the injured Mycah Go, who dabbled as an assistant coach while she is recovering.