Lady Blazers escape Lady Cardinals to keep sweep bid alive

Games Wednesday
(San Andres Complex)

9 a.m. – JRU vs Letran (M/W)
2 p.m. – AU vs SSC-R (W/M)

MANILA, Philippines – College of St. Benilde survived a tough challenge put up by Mapua with a pulsating, 25-22, 25-16, 24-26, 22-25, 15-13, Tuesday to remain on top and on course of yet another sweet sweep in NCAA Season 98 Volleyball at the San Andres Complex.

Jhasmine Gayle Pascual unloaded a match-best 24 points while Jade Gentapa unloaded 23 hits, including the final nail in the coffin that preserved the Lady Blazers’ unblemished six-game slate while fortifying its hold of the top spot.

CSB skipper Cloanne Mondonedo had another multi-faceted effort by dishing out 29 excellent sets while scattering eight points.

The Jerry Yee-mentored girls from Taft also closed in on another potential elimination round sweep that would catapult them straight to the best-of-three finals while reducing the Final Four to a grinding stepladder semis for the rest of the field.

While they wasn’t as dominating as last season when they roared to a mighty 11-game title sweep, the Lady Blazers are still getting the job done to give them a chance to replicate that feat.

But it looked like Mapua was on a giant-slaying spree again after it fought back from two sets down by taking the next two sets and giving it out in the deciding frame that eventually fell short against a calm CSB side.

That sent the Lady Cardinals reeling to their second defeat four wins that was made more excruciating by the fact that five went the five-set route and one ending in four sets.

Earlier, Lyceum of the Philippines University turned back Emilio Aguinaldo College, 23-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-23, to remain on course of barging into the Final Four for the first time since joining the league more than a decade ago.

Joan Doguna led the way with 18 points she laced with six service aces while Janeth Tulang and Johna Denise Dolorito scattered 16 and 15 hits, respectively, to nail the Lady Pirates their fifth win in six outings.

The Lady Generals dropped to 1-4.