CSB Lady Blazers force Game Three in NCAA women’s volleyball finals

COLLEGE of St. Benilde (CSB) has no plans of fading into the night and giving up its five-peat dreams without a fight.

The CSB Lady Blazers showed one as they downed the Colegio de San Juan de Letran Lady Knights, 25-18, 25-21, 27-25, on Wednesday to force a deciding Game Three in the NCAA Season 101 women’s volleyball finals at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

“After we lost the first game, we just told ourselves that we still can get back, I still can,” said CSB middle blocker Zam Nolasco, awarded the season MVP earlier who dropped a match-high 19-point performance.

“I had a belief in myself that I can bring my team to Game Three and it happened that my teammates were willing,” she added.

The win knotted the series at one apiece and sent it into a decider set on Friday at the same Manila venue.

CSB saw its bid for a fifth straight crown slowly slip away after absorbing a 17-25, 25-23, 20-25, 25-14, 15-11 setback in the opener on Sunday while shoving Letran closer to ending a 27-year title drought.

But Ms. Nolasco and the Lady Blazers decided it wasn’t over and took it upon themselves to breathe life to their aspirations to keep the dynasty standing tall. — Joey Villar