College of St. Benilde continued to dominate in the NCAA Season 98 Women’s Volleyball Tournament, giving University of Perpetual Help System DALTA its first loss 25-23, 25-21, 25-22, Tuesday at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila.
With the win, Benilde extend their streak to four games (4-0), while Perpetual dropped to 3-1.
The game was tight right from the start, with both teams displaying their impressive skills and exchanging points in the first two sets. However, the Lady Blazers had a slight edge, claiming the first set, 25-23, and the second set, 25-21.
The third set was no different, as both teams were determined to come out on top. Perpetual managed to build a slim lead, but the Lady Blazers refused to back down, with Cloanne Mondonedo’s crucial attack helping to turn the score in their favor at 23-22. Mondonedo then scored the series point, securing the sweep for her team.
Benilde’s head coach Jerry Yee commended his players for their composure in the late game, saying, “Great win for us. The composure was there, and the instructions were executed. I’m so happy about the win.”
It was a Gayle Pascual and Mary Rhose Dapol battle as the former led the Lady Blazers with a game-high 22 points built on 20 attacks and two blocks; while the latter finished with 20 markers off of 17 attacks and three serves for the Lady Altas.
Meanwhile, Colegio de San Juan de Letran overcame a slow start to claim their second win of the season, defeating Emilio Aguinaldo College in four sets, 19-25, 25-22, 25-12, 25-12.
After a sluggish start, Letran turned the game around, scoring 12 straight points to take a commanding lead of 19-7. They carried this momentum into the fourth set, where they dominated the Lady Generals, finishing with a convincing 25-12 win.
Judiel Nitura led the charge for the Lady Knights with 16 points, all from attacks, while Lea Tapang contributed 15 excellent digs and 11 attacks.
Jennifer Omapas and Monna Banares were the top performers for EAC, with Omapas finishing with 14 points, and Banares making 16 excellent receptions.
With this win, Letran improves to 2-1, while EAC remains winless at 0-3.
