Perpetual, Arellano rule NCAA beach volley

ARELLANO University stopped Perpetual Help’s bid to sweep the beach volleyball crowns in the 86th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) duel Sunday.

The victory came after the duo of Chris Salvador and John Lozada wrested the men’s championship title at the La Salle-Greenhills sand court while Arellano put the cuffs on Perpetual Help’s Ralph Sevillano and Jay dela Cruz, 21-12, 21-17.

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The stunning win can be considered as one for the books in the oldest collegiate league in the country as Arellano managed to snare the beach volley title a year after the school formally joined the NCAA.

And it came via an impressive 10-game sweep.

“We’re really happy because this is our school’s first title since joining the NCAA last year,” said Salvador, a 21-year-old Hotel and Restaurant Management student who was named Most Valuable Player.

The Sherwin Meneses-mentored Chiefs entered the finals after routing St. Benilde’s Chad de Castro and Jayson Abraham, 21-10, 21-10.

The Legarda-based school also became the second team to win a title this season after St. Benilde lorded it over the field in the seniors’ chess competition a couple of weeks back.

“We’re proud of their accomplishment,” said Peter Cayco, Arellano U’s Management Committee member.

The women’s crown, on the other hand, fell to the lap of Altas for another year as Keshia de Luna and April Sartin nipped Letran’s Gena Andaya and Manel Carolino, 21-19, 21-18.

De Luna also bagged the MVP plum.

“It was sentimental for me because this is my last season but it was a team effort with God’s blessing,” the graduating Education student said.

In junior’s play, Perpetual Help made it a twin kill after eventual MVP John Erickson Francisco and Louwie Chavez downed San Sebastian’s PJ Rojas and Harold Nacino, 23-21, 21-10. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)