By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Lyceum Lady Pirates advanced to the NCAA Season 98 women’s volleyball finals after a 25-18, 20-25, 25-17, 26-24 beating of University of Perpetual Help System Lady Altas in the step-ladder semis at San Juan Arena on Wednesday, March 29.

Bacolod City-native Joan Doguna provided the scoring spark with 17 points, 16 coming from attacks, while Johna Dolorito and Janeth Tulang added 14 and 12 markers, respectively, for the Lady Pirates.

Venice Puzon, the reigning Best Setter, finished with 20 excellent sets, together with five points, four coming from service, including the game-winning service ace, for the Lady Pirates.

“Honestly speaking, nung siya [Puzon] na magse-service, alam kong panalo na kami. ‘Yun ‘yung trust na meron ako sa kanya. Na pagsalpak niya du’n sabi ko, ‘Panalo na ‘to,’” Lady Pirates head coach Cromwel Garcia said.

Down by three, 20-23 late in the fourth set, the Lady Pirates scored three straight points to tie the score at 23-all, capped by an attack error from Lady Altas veteran Shaila Omipon.

Both teams exchanged points afterward with a Razel Aldea block followed by a service error from Jhasmine Sapin to get another deadlock at 24-all, but an attack by Doguna and a service ace by Puzon sealed the win for Lyceum.

“Iniisip ko na lang na ito ‘yung opportunity na sa ‘min na mapunta sa NCAA Finals. So talagang binigay ko na ‘yung best ko,” Puzon said.

“Sobrang thankful ako sa tiwala na binigay ni coach sa akin,” she added.

This is Lyceum’s first finals appearance in women’s volleyball since joining the league in 2011. They will face the defending champion College of St. Benilde Lady Blazers in the finals beginning on April 11.

“Sobrang saya kasi honestly speaking, this is not only my dream. It’s the dream of the team and the whole community. Nung umpisa, walang naniniwala sa amin na makapasok kami sa Final Four,” Garcia said.

Omipon paved the way for the Lady Altas with 17 points and 12 excellent digs, while Sapin added 19 excellent sets./ASC, WDJ