The Arellano Lady Chiefs pulled off a stunning reverse sweep over the Perpetual Lady Altas, 19-25, 23-25, 25-22, 25-14, 19-17, in the #NCAA100 Women’s Volleyball Tournament held on May 18 at the EAC Gymnasium.
After nearly completing a comeback from a 0-2 deficit against Colegio de San Juan de Letran but falling short in the deciding set, the Lady Chiefs were determined not to let history repeat itself. Down two sets once again, they showed composure and resilience to mount a thrilling five-set comeback against the Lady Altas.
Momentum began to shift in the third set, as Arellano tightened its floor defense and found rhythm in its offense. Sam Tiratira ignited the rally with a series of quick attacks through the middle, catching Perpetual’s defense off guard. In the fourth set, the Lady Chiefs took full control, cruising to a dominant 25-14 win behind a balanced offense and disciplined net defense.
The deciding fifth set opened in favor of Perpetual, who took a 9-6 lead. But a crucial timeout from Arellano head coach Obet Javier turned the tide. Regrouping with renewed energy, the Lady Chiefs stormed back with the leadership of Tiratira and Pau de Guzman. Tiratira continued to anchor the middle, disrupting Perpetual’s offense, while De Guzman delivered five clutch points that tied the game after a 4-0 run by the Altas.
An unforced error from Perpetual handed Arellano match point 16-15, and the Lady Chiefs sealed the victory with a decisive joust at the net—clinching their tenth win of the season and sitting in fourth place in the standings.
Best Player of the Game Sam Tiratira led the charge with 21 points—19 off attacks, a block, and a service ace.
With the win, the Lady Chiefs now look ahead to two crucial games that will determine their Final Four bid. They are set to face the EAC Lady Generals on May 21 and the LPU Lady Pirates on May 28, both at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
- Carl Stephen San Juan