Letran’s Gia Maquilang and Lara Mae Silva grounded San Beda’s Angel Mae Habacon and Reyanna Cañete, 21-17, 21-10, in the afternoon matches on Friday, Jan. 26, and claimed the first Final Four seat in NCAA Season 99 women’s beach volleyball in Subic Bay.

The win was the defending champions’ seventh straight and two more wins against University of Perpetual Help and Emilio Aguinaldo College would complete an amazing sweep.

But Maguilang and Silva would only need just one win to ensure them a place in the two and clinch that vital twice-to-beat advantage in the playoff round.

For Habacon and Cañete, they absorbed their first defeat after six straight wins and fell to No. 2.

EAC’s Cathrine Almazan and Christine Joy Cordial caught up with UPHSD’s Mary Rhose Dapol and Krisha Cordero at No. 3 with a 5-2 record apiece after the former trounced the latter, 14-21, 21-18, 15-11.

In the men’s division, reigning titleist UPHSD’s Louie Ramirez and Jefferson Marapoc flattened EAC’s Bhim Lawrence Diones and Ervin Patrick Osabel, 21-12, 21-14, improved to 6-1 (win-loss) and closed in barging into the Final Four.

College of St. Benilde, Mapua and Arellano U dumped their respective foes to jump into a three-way logjam at No. 2 with 5-2 records that kept them in the tight Final Four hunt.

CSB’s Leonard Van Jaboli and Arnel Christian Aguilar outlasted Jose Rizal U’s Windel Laurenciana and Matthew Miguel, 21-16, 26-24; Mapua’s Kenneth Eslapor and Saint Marlowe Jamisola defeated San Sebastian’s Kyle Angelo Villamor and Jan Kerk Araño, 24-22, 21-12; and AU’s Adrian Villados and Arman Clarence Guinto routed Lyceum of the Philippines U’s Janse Palad and Josue Velasco III, 21-10, 21-18.

In juniors’ play, LPU’s Rodan Aguirre and Ace Van Blanco edged AU’s Wainn Wojtyla and John Lester Calura, 17-21, 21-17, 16-14, to seize the lead with seven points on a 5-2 slate.