Lady Blazers, Altas complete perfect runs

MANILA, Philippines — St. Benilde and Perpetual Help carved out a pair of elimination round sweeps to barge straight to the NCAA Season 99 volleyball finals at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.

The Lady Blazers survived a fierce challenge from familiar rivals Lyceum of the Philippines U’s Lady Pirates and escaped with a 21-25, 25-21, 20-25, 25-21, 15-7 victory – their ninth consecutive – that catapulted the former to their third finals appearance in a row.

The Altas, for their part, bested the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals, 25-23, 25-23, 25-23, to pull off a nine-game sweep in the men’s side and also advance to the finals set May 19.

It was CSB’s 38th straight victory that included a pair of 11-game title sweeps the past two years.

The Lady Blazers have a chance for another one as they go for a three-peat sweep feat.

But they almost blew this one up after trailing by a set twice before coming through in the fourth and fifth set in weathering the LPU storm and preserving the magnificent run of triumphs.