Published May 17, 2025 1:59pm
Updated May 17, 2025 1:59pm
Amid a late Jose Rizal University third-set rally, Mapua University turned to the sophomore-veteran tandem of Freighanne Garcia and Nicole Ong to pull off a 25-17, 25-20, 25-22 win in NCAA Season 100 women’s volleyball on Saturday.
The ever-reliable Garcia led the show for the Lady Cardinals after dropping 16 points, including six in the final frame, while also grabbing nine digs and seven receptions to help the Lady Cardinals rebuild a three-game winning streak for a 10-5 record.
Before that, Mapua got unlucky after sustaining three straight losses to open the second round.
Garcia did not lack support as seasoned middle blocker Nicole Ong helped the cause by tallying 11 markers, highlighted by three of their last five points, while Gregchelle Cabadin and Raissa Ricablanca chipped in 12 and eight markers apiece.
Mapua once found itself in trouble in the third frame when errors mounted from their side as Cabadin went wide on her opposite attack to send JRU to a 9-5 advantage.
But the Lady Bombers committed a number of errors as well, which the Lady Cardinals took advantage of as they flipped the switch to gain a 17-14 cushion, thanks to a 12-5 rampage that completely swung the momentum to the Intramuros crew.
JRU, though, didn’t back down and even forced a 20-all deadlock off a net error from Ong. The two-time Best Middle Blocker then quickly made up for it with clutch response, unleashing a quick hammer before putting the roof on Patricia Del Pilar to bring Mapua to a 23-20 lead.
Garcia then succeeded on her swipe following an overpass from JRU before Ong’s quick tip off a one-handed reverse set from Angelick Gavica sealed the sweep win for Mapua.
With the win, Mapua tightened its grip on the third spot as Colegio de San Juan de Letran (13-2) and three-time defending champion De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (11-2) currently occupy the top two spots.
JRU, meanwhile, is already out of contention with a 1-14 card. Still, that didn’t stop the Lady Bombers to put up a fight as lefty Nicole Deala led the charge with 12 points laced with eight digs and nine receptions while Del Pilar chipped in nine markers.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News