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The Benilde Lady Blazers against the Letran Lady Knights. Photo from Strong Group Athletics.

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<div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span></span><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1716018560039IMG_3918.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The Benilde Lady Blazers against the Letran Lady Knights. Photo from Strong Group Athletics."/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Benilde Lady Blazers against the Letran Lady Knights. <em>Photo from Strong Group Athletics. </em></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span>MANILA — Modern-day rivals De La Salle-College of St. Benilde and Colegio de San Juan de Letran are set to rekindle their affair in the NCAA championship round yet again.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span></span><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span>The Lady Blazers and the Lazy Knights will be going up against each other in the Season 99 women’s volleyball Finals which will start on Sunday, 2:30 PM at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span></span><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span>The two-time defending champions, who booked an outright Finals ticket after sweeping the elimination round, will be going up against the Lady Knights who ended a 12-year drought of making it into the tournament’s title round. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span></span><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span>Despite this, Benilde head coach Jerry Yee, whose squad is currently riding on a 38-game win streak in the league, maintained that both teams are back to zero in the Finals. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1716018883041IMG_3919.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">CSB’s Jerry Yee. <em>Photo from Strong Group Athletics. </em></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span>“Expectations aside, all teams are on equal footing when they get to the Finals. Both teams have to execute their plans and strategies come game time,” said Yee, whose Lady Blazers also defeated the Lady Knights in their elimination round encounter last April 21, 25-18, 25-21, 25-19.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span></span><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span>Meanwhile, CSJL’s first-year head tactician Oliver Almadro and the Muralla-based hitters are looking to bank on their elimination round campaign after tallying a 7-2 record which was good for a Top 2 finish. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1716018982741IMG_3920.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">CSJL’s Oliver Almadro. <em>Photo from Strong Group Athletics.</em></span></span></span><span>“I am not the only one excited; the whole community of Colegio de San Juan de Letran shares this excitement. It&#x27;s been a while since the school qualified for the Finals,” said the Letran Alumnus.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span>“We are so blessed to have reached this far in NCAA Season 99, thanks to the faith, discipline, and determination of the players who embraced the system and their eagerness to learn,” he continued.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span></span><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span>But it is not only the contrasting journeys of both institutions that make this Finals matchup interesting. Adding more flavor to another chapter of the Benilde-Letran rivalry is how they are supported by the same backer in Frank Lao’s Strong Group Athletics. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span>“A lot of programs in the NCAA are not as well supported as those in the other league [UAAP]. Some teams only have scholarships to offer,” shared Yee, who also handles the UAAP’s University of the East. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span></span><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span>“We know that to maintain a proper program, dorms, proper meals, and even some allowances are needed because college expenses are high. Strong Group’s support provides or covers at least the basics, like proper meals and some allowances,” he added. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span>  </span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span>His Lady Knights counterpart also expressed similar sentiments about SGA’s support to Letran.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span>“Strong Group’s support in our campaign this year is one of the best things that has happened to the volleyball program of Letran since we last qualified for the Final Four. They have also been instrumental in my return to Letran,” expressed Almadro, who is the University of the Philippines’ program director and women’s volleyball head coach.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span></span><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span>But despite being under the same umbrella, Yee bared that those would not matter once they step foot on the taraflex. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span>“We will bring out the best in each other,“ Coach Jerry said. </span><span></span><br/></div>

<p>Modern-day rivals De La Salle-College of St. Benilde and Colegio de San Juan de Letran are set to rekindle their affair in the NCAA championship round yet again.</p>

Modern-day rivals De La Salle-College of St. Benilde and Colegio de San Juan de Letran are set to rekindle their affair in the NCAA championship round yet again.

NCAA: Benilde, Letran renew rivalry in women’s volleyball Finals

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NCAA: Benilde, Letran renew rivalry in women’s volleyball Finals

ABS-CBN News

Published May 19, 2024 06:00 AM PHT

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Volleyball

NCAA

NCAA Season 99

NCAA Volleyball

Benilde Lady Blazers

Letran Lady Knights

Jerry Yee

Oliver Almadro

UAAP Volleyball

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