The Mapua University Lady Cardinals won a third consecutive game after outlasting similarly streaking University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, 20-25, 25-22, 25-23, 13-25, 15-12 in the NCAA Season 97 women’s volleyball tournament on Friday.
After dropping their first assignment of the season, the Lady Cardinals have now won three straight to improve to 3-1 while knocking the Lady Altas down to 2-2.
Perpetual raced to a 5-0 start to the game en route to taking the first set, 25-20. In the second, Mapua battled back an ace from Tere Manalo allowed the Lady Cardinals to go up 19-15 and later, 23-18, after some errors from Perpetual. Manalo again provided the big score, as they won the set, 25-22, to even the count at one set apiece.
In Set 3, Perpetual took a 19-17 lead before Mapua went on a big turnaround with a 7-1 run thanks to the strong play of Nicole Ong and Chenie Batac. An error by the Lady Altas allowed the Lady Cardinals to get set point, 24-20, before Jonina Fernandez secured it for Mapua, 25-23.
But Perpetual roared back with a dominant showing in the fourth set, going an 8-2 start before cruising to a comfortable 25-12 set.
The Lady Cardinals took a 10-6 lead in the fifth set before the Lady Altas rattled off four straight points to tie it up at 10-all. A couple of Perpetual errors gave Mapua a 12-10 lead before Carla Gaudan and Ong brought them to 14-11 and Manalo eventually closed it out with a big hit, 15-12.
Nicole Ong tallied 21 points off 13 attacks and eight blocks, while Jonina Fernandez added 12 points in Mapua's win. Welmae Ortega had 22 excellent digs while Trixie Gojol had nine excellent sets.
Mary Rhose Dapol led the offense for UPHSD with 13 points, with Hannah Suico and Razel Aldea making 12 points each. Jenny Gaviola made 10 points on top of 13 excellent sets.
—JMB, GMA News
