Last year’s semifinalists, the De La Salle College of Saint Benilde Lady Blazers, and University of Perpetual Help System DALTA Lady Altas shook off resistance from San Beda College Lady Red Spikers and Jose Rizal University Lady Bombers, respectively, to further propel their Final Four hopes, Monday at the FilOil Flying V Arena.
In the first women’s game, the Lady Blazers regrouped in time to wrestle the match from the upset-conscious Lady Red Spikers, 24-26 23-25 25-12 25-15 15-10, and take their fourth win of the season. San Beda kept it close in the first two sets, before taking control with timely hits from Nieza Viray. Moreover, the errors piled up for CSB in the sets as the Lady Red Spikers seized a 2-0 set advantage.
CSB then unleashed their might in the third set and never looked back. The rout continued in the fourth frame, as last year’s runners-up leveled the match at 2 sets-apiece. Jannine Navarro led the comeback for the Lady Blazers. From there, the Taft-based squad turned to their end-game experience to close the match for good in the deciding fifth set.
Jeanette Panaga had a quiet 21-point production, 15 coming from attacks and 6 off kill blocks. Navarro steadied the ship for the Lady Blazers with 19 points scattered throughout the match. Viray paced the Lady Red Spikers with 16 markers.
The Scores:
CSB (3) – Panaga 21, Navarro 19, Musa 17, Daguil 6, Cheng 5, Santillan 5, Dolorito 4, Austero 1, Lizares 0, Ventura 0, Borrero 0, Torres (L), Lim (L)
SBC (2) – N. Viray 16, Domingo 12, J. Viray 8, Cuevas 6, Racraquin 4, Kramer 1, Espiritu 1, Garcia 1, Laguna 0, Tannagan 0, Dumpit 0, Manuel (L)
Perpetual followed up their big win against the Lady Blazers with a four-set victory against the Lady Bombers, 25-18 25-19 19-25 25-16. Aside from the third set, the Lady Altas completely dominated the game in every department: 48-36 on attacks, 12-2 on blocks, and 8-3 on service aces. It was the errors of both teams that kept the trailing Bombers in the thick of the fight. Nonetheless, the Lady Altas held on to take their third victory of the season.
The middle blockers carried the scoring for Perpetual, with Colleen Bravo scoring a season-high 22 markers and Lourdes Clemente contributing 14 points. As expected, Rosalie Pepito led the Lady Bombers with 19 points, all of them coming from attacks.
The Scores:
UPHSD (3) – Bravo 22, Clemente 14, Suyat 11, Diocareza 11, Imbo 7, Gual 2, Gayo 1, Versoza 0, Medalla 0, Rosal 0, Condada (L)
JRU (1) – Pepito 19, Alvarez 10, Rivera 4, Montojo 4, Sixto 2, Caridad 2, Medici 0, Bondiongan 0, Batalon 0, Macaraya (L)
Photo by sir Dennis Abrina
