Colegio de San Juan de Letran weathered a gritty stand from Lyceum of the Philippines University, 21-10, 16-21, 15-13, to rule the NCAA Season 100 women's beach volleyball on Sunday in Subic, Zambales.
The Lady Knights, bannered by Gia Maquilang and Lara Mae Silva, survived a third set comeback by the Pirates to claim their third straight title and fourth overall.
Letran now joined the ranks of University of Perpetual Help System DALTA and San Sebastian College-Recoletos as the only three schools who have completed a three-peat in the tournament.
Letran, however, had to make a gallant effort until the final point to achieve the feat.
After dropping the second set to the Lady Pirates, Letran made sure to open the third on a high note with a 6-1 start before a Maquilang attack sent them to a 9-5 lead.
Monna Banares then committed an attack error that enabled Letran to soar to the championship point at 14-9.
LPU crawled from that hole and unleashed a 4-0 rampage instigated by Banares and capped by an attack error from Silva as LPU, which was seeking to deliver the school's potential first title, came within one, 13-14.
Maquilang, though, had the answer that Letran needed as the reigning Rookie MVP put the icing on the cake through a powerful spike off her own reception.
San Beda University bucked a second set hiccup to complete a 21-17, 12-21, 15-10 win over Emilio Aguinaldo College to take home the bronze medal. The Lady Red Spikers previously bowed to LPU in the semifinals.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
