BACOLOD Tay Tung survived tough resistance from Kings’ Montessori School in the third set before eking out a 25-18, 25-14, 25-23 win to book a gold medal match ticket in the 2024 Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League at the Paco Arena.

Rhose Almendralejo sparked the Thunderbolts’ comeback from five points down early in the third frame and delivered the much-needed hits to bring last year’s third placer into the winner-take-all final set Sunday at the Adamson University.

The middle blocker punched in eight of her 14 points in the third set including the game-winning kill for the Bacolod-based squad, the only remaining podium finisher from the inaugural edition.

Bacolod Tay Tung breezed through in the first two sets but had to sweat it out in the third after going down, 3-8. The Thunderbolts made a couple of runs to take a 20-16 advantage.

Kings’ Montessori rallied to tie at 23 after a kill block by Justine Decena on Almendralejo. A costly service error by Shekaina Lleses gave the Thunderbolts the opening to wrap the match.

“Yung kalaban malakas din naman pero nag-click lang siguro yung depensa at block namin kaya yun po,” Bacolod Tay Tung coach Ian Macariola said.

“Sabi ko sa kanila kapit lang, enjoy lang sa loob ng court, at kung lamang ‘yung kalaban, okay lang.”

Jothea Ramos and Ana Hermosura added 11 markers each for the Thunderbolts.

UAAP champion Adamson University and National University-Nazareth School are still disputing the last gold medal match ticket in the country’s premier grassroots volleyball tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Eurotel, Victory Liner, Smart Sports, Mikasa, Team Rebel Sports, Data Project, Genius Sports and Robinsons Malls as of press time.

Shekaina Lleses had nine points while her twin Shehanna Lleses chipped in seven markers for Kings’ Montessori.

Meanwhile, Arellano University flirted with disaster before grinding out a 25-21, 27-25, 21-25, 20-25, 15-12 victory over feisty Bethel Academy College in the classification round.

Samantha Maranan poured six of her team-high 27 points for the Lady Braves in the fifth set, punching in timely hits to put the league-record 36 markers of Bethelites winger Shane Reterta to naught.

Maranan collected 22 attacks, four aces and a kill block while Catherine Chu and Christal Pueblas got 16 and 14 points, respectively, for Arellano.

The Lady Braves clash with Far Eastern University-Diliman in the battle for fifth.

Reterta did the heavy lifting with 33 hits, two aces and a kill block for Bethel Academy, which threw away 44 points off errors.

On the other hand, the Lady Baby Tamaraws swept Lyceum of the Philippines University, 25-19, 25-22, 25-18.

Clarisse Loresco and Lovely Lopez scored nine and eight points, respectively, to power FEU-Diliman.

Philip Gancia had eight points to pace Lyceum, which will face Bethel Academy for seventh place.

Games in the SGVIL, organizejd by Athletic Events and Sports Management, Inc., are available via livestream on Smart Sports and Puso Pilipinas, Aliw 23 (free TV) and Solar Sports (cable).