
Vanessa Sarie (right) delivers a kill for Letran. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Letran has unfinished business it is dying to take care of as it enters yet another title series in the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament against a team that ruined its championship dreams the past two years.
“If we want to change the story, we have to change the culture,” Letran coach Oliver Almadro said on the eve of Game 1 of the best-of-three series at FilOil Arena in San Juan, where College of St. Benilde will be shooting to win a fourth straight crown albeit with a very different squad.
“We accepted it two years in a row and we’re now back to the finals,” Almadro went on. “This time, we have to show something new.”
The Blazers obviously want this series to be just another day at the office, but with a roster that only has six holdovers from that “three-peat” team, it’s an even series for all intents and purposes.
“We have a different core this time. But if we really want to retain the title, we should double our efforts and rely on each other,’’ said Zamantha Nolasco, whose middle-blocking prowess will become pivotal in the series.
Except for team captain Mycah Go, spiker Cristy Ondangan, Nolasco and four other veterans, the dependable remnants of those championship squads are all gone.
The two schools split their elimination round meetings.
“Both teams will scout each other by watching recent game videos. We have to do something different,” said CSB coach Rogelio Getigan Jr.