THE FACULTY of Arts and Letters (AB) Men’s Volleyball Team clinched a semifinal spot in this year’s Thomasian Goodwill Games after they handily disposed the College of Science (Science) during their quarterfinals match Saturday at the P. Noval Court.
Denying Science the chance to claim victory this time, AB immediately swept two of the three sets of the game, 25-17 and 25-20.
A storm of forceful spikes from AB’s Judenn Macareñas, Wayne Parulan, John David Subiere, and Charles Adrian Vallo outplayed Science to set the tone for the first set, 7-1.
Multiple errors from the players of Science troubled their bid to catch up with AB’s growing lead.
Stepping-up for the playoffs, AB’s Marjan Christopher Landan also delivered a barrage of hits, bringing the score to 14-7. AB cruised to an easy first set win, capped by the blinding speed of a spike from AB’s Russell Wilfred Estrada.
Intensity in the playing court rose during the second set as both teams dwelled in a ghastly head-to-head rally, setting the score at 2-3, 4-5, then 7-8, in favor of Science.
Determined to bounce back in the game, Science continued to lead by a point against AB, 10-9, 12-11, then 14-13.
But the Dapitan-based squad was able to strategize their defense and pull the lead back to its side. Spikes from Parulan and Estrada stole the lead from Science, 18-15. Estrada’s textbook offense once again capped the second set, snatching the win and semifinal hopes from Science.
After AB bowed down to Science in their first encounter in the elimination round, AB team captain Lorenzo Miguel Tan made sure to prepare well for the match. “Since nakalaban na namin sila, nag-adjust kami. Kung ano ‘yung mga mali namin against them, itinama namin para hindi na maulit.” F KIMVIRLY P. ZAYAT
