Wielyn Estoque erupted for a season-high to tow De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde to a 25-19, 25-23, 25-8 victory against Mapua University and punched its Final Four ticket in the NCAA Season 99 women's volleyball tournament on Sunday at Filoil EcoOil Centre.
The third-year outside hitter dropped a season-best 19 points anchored on 14 attacks, four aces, and a block alongside six digs as the two-time defending champions Lady Blazers remained unblemished at 7-0.
The Lady Cardinals, despite a gallant stand in the second set, halted their three-game winning streak to go 4-3.
"Masaya kami kasi tinatrabaho naman namin lahat ng ginagawa namin sa court and mas eager kami ngayon na kunin 'yung panalo," Estoque told GMA News Online.
(We're happy because we are working for everything that we do on the court and we are eager to get the win.)
Mapua put up a brave stand in the second with rookie Raissa Ricablanca bringing them to a 23-20 lead to move closer to forcing an equalizer, but the Taft crew responded with a massive 5-0 closing run to secure a commanding 2-0 set lead.
It was a different scenario in the third as the Lady Blazers stepped on the gas pedal right away. Estoque unloaded back-to-back aces before veteran Gayle Pascual sent them to a 14-3 cushion.
The Lady Cardinals never posed a threat since then with Jade Gentapa putting the finishing blow despite entering the game only in the final moments.
Pascual finished with 12 points while Dorog and Zam Nolasco poured in eight and six markers apiece.
No player from Mapua breached the double-digit scoring as Ricablanca, Roxie Dela Cruz, and Nicole Ong all tallied seven points.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
