The University of Perpetual Help System – Dalta Lady Altas handed the College of Sanit Benilde Lady Blazers a sobering loss, and the Emilio Aguinaldo College Lady Generals refused to yield against a struggling Mapua Institute of Technology Lady Cardinals in the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament elimination round, yesterday at the FilOil Flying V Arena.
The Lady Altas toughed out excruciatingly long rallies and close sets to thwart the Lady Blazers in five sets 14-25, 25-23, 25-21, 21-25, 16-14 in the day’s first senior’s match.
Coming into the match undefeated, the veteran CSB side quickly took the opening set but their floor defense and service reception took a dive in the next two. UPHSD took full advantage, building leads midway through the second and third sets. Protecting their leads through consistent offense, Perpetual took a 2-1 sets lead before CSB sobered up and regained form to take a highly-contested fourth frame. Both squads traded side-outs in the deciding fifth set, with CSB forcing a deuce. Perpetual then closed the match off a quick attack from Lourdes Clemente and a Cindy Imbo ace.
Imbo led all scorers with 19 points while Colleen Bravo and Ana Diocareza contributed 11 and 10 points respectively. The towering Clemente pitched in nine markers.
Graduating CSB open hitter, Janine Navarro blasted 16 points while Ranya Musa had 14 markers. CSB’s athletic middle blocker Jeanette Panaga got limited attacking opportunities but still managed to contribute 10 points.
The match lasted over two hours with both squads unable to end rallies quickly and combining for 91 total errors.
In the final Women’s match of the day, the struggling Lady Cardinals showed signs of progress but still could not pull of a win, as the Lady Generals made clutch plays to finish off Mapua in four sets, 25-22, 19-25, 25-17, 25-22.
Passing off the serve was a huge problem for both teams, with Mapua amassing 15 aces while EAC had 10. Mapua, however, coughed up a staggering 43 errors to EAC’s 31, spelling the difference for the Intramuros-based squad. Bothered by their own passing and EAC’s blocking, the Lady Cardinals relinquished a late 20-15 lead in the fourth set. The Lady Generals came all the way back and ended the match off a late 4-1 run in which Kristine Santos delivered two aces.
Nergina Pagdanganan spearheaded the Lady Generals with 15 points while Kristine Santos and Janine Danao pitched in 12 and nine points respectively. Hazel Sedenio topped Mapua with 13 points with Diane Latayan and Angelica Guardian each scoring nine points.
CSB drop to third with a 3-1 record, while UPHSD remain on track for a Final Four slot with 2-2 slate. EAC have momentary hold on the fourth seed with a 3-2 slate, while Mapua are yet to win in five matches.
