Defending NCAA champions De La Salle College of Saint Benilde Lady Blazers fended off the Mapua Institute of Technology Lady Cardinals in four sets, 25-10, 25-19, 21-25, 25-21, to stay unbeaten in three contests, Wednesday afternoon at the FilOil Flying V Centre.
The reigning queens fired off to a hot start in the first set, pouring in attacks from all fronts. Reception problems even made it harder for Mapua to even get something on the offensive side and the Blazers easily closed out the frame.
Nonetheless, the Lady Cardinals tightened up their floor defense and frustrated the spikers of CSB starting in the second set. If not for the errors of the Intramuros-based ladies, the chapter could have gone the Cards’ way.
Mapua leaned on this momentum to stun the Lady Blazers in the third set. The Lady Cardinals poured in most if their 24 attacks and 9 service aces to get this frame.
However, summoning their championship experience, the Taft-based lady spikers eventually finished off the opposition in the fourth set despite the latter’s repeated attempts to come back.
Skipper Jeannete Panaga registered 18 points to lead the defending champs, including the match-clinching kill. Fellow middle hitter Ranya Musa finished with 10.
It was the day of central attackers as Angeline Magundayao led Mapua with 11 points, 10 coming from spikes.
Saint Benilde head coach Macky Cariño rues his wards performance for the first three games, but said that they would work on their problems.
He said, “Masama yung performance namin. Nung first game, maganda. Tapos next game, worse. Tapos ngayon, medyo umangat pero worse pa rin.”
“Mahabang proseso pa naman yan. Sabi ko sa mga players ko, ‘Unti-untiin natin mga laban. Sa mga ganitomg laban nakikita namin yung problema para maayos namin sa mga susunod.’,” he added.
The Lady Blazers hope to do better when they face the JRU Lady Bombers on November 29, Tuesday at 1:30pm. On the other hand, the Lady Cardinals will take on the Arellano University Lady Chiefs the day before at 10am.
The Scores:
CSB (3) – Panaga 18, Musa 10, Dolorito 6, Austero 5, Ventura 3, Santillan 3, Daguil 2, Enginco 2, Umali 2, Cardiente 1, Sulit 0, Avila 0, Torres L, Lim L.
MIT (1) – Magundayao 11, Sedenio 7, Latayan 7, Peña 4, Ramilo 4, Racelis 1, Guardian 0, Aquino 0, Luzon L.
