THE SBCA Red Lions bowed down to the Centro Escolar University (CEU) Scorpions after being defeated in 3 straight sets with the score of 0-3 in the semi-finals of the MNCAA Season 20 Volleyball Tournament held on Apr. 13 at the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P).

Tightly Contested Match

     The first set of the game demonstrated the tightly played set between the Red Lions and Scorpions by featuring a back-and-forth scoring battle, with the Scorpions leading the game with a score of 5-10. However, the Red Lions caught up by showcasing a powerful defense, resulting in one of the players of the Scorpions being injured. The two teams remained trading for points, even closing the match to two ties within the set of 17-17 and 22-22, forming a deuce. Consequently, the set ended with the Scorpions winning the first set with a score of 23-25.

     During the second set of the game, the Red Lions didn’t hold back, leading to the men in red garnering the first point of the set. However, that didn’t last long as the Scorpions took the lead with 3-7. As the battle intensified, the Scorpions continued to dominate the game, establishing a lead over the Red Lions at 13-8. The men in red caught up and brought the game to a close tie; however, due to the immense offense demonstrated by the Scorpions, the Red Lions fell short.

     A timeout and substitutions were called during the second set by the Red Lions due to the immense pressure being put on by the Scorpions. However, the latter still took the lead. A late rally was seen at the end of the game, with the Red Lions trying to catch up, but the Scorpions closed the set with a score of 17-25, leading the final score to 0-2.

     As the third set of the game commenced, pressure and tension were evident in the air. The Red Lions fell far behind the Scorpions, scoring 1-10. With the Red Lions being placed at a disadvantage, the team tried to regain their momentum, closing the gap to 20-24 due to the late rally by the Red Lions. After the series of rallies, the Scorpions closed the game with a score of 20-25 and a final score of 0-3, garnering a complete sweep by the end of the game. 

Eyes on Redemption

     In an interview with THE BEDAN HERALD, Jom Euard Samson (II-BAIS) shared that the team lacked a variety of skills during the game—the receive, spikes, and blocks. “Marami rin talaga kaming errors kanina so ayun ‘yung parang naging bunga, ng resulta ng game, ‘yung errors namin,” he said. He further explained that in their next game, they must double the effort in training and put all of their best into obtaining favorable results.

     The Red Lions’ next match will happen in the first week of May, in which the team will compete and fight for third place.