Johna Dolorito and Jewel Maligmat took turns in leading Lyceum of the Philippines University to a 25-20, 16-25, 21-25, 25-22, 15-5 victory over Mapua University in the NCAA Season 98 women's volleyball tournament on Tuesday.
With Dolorito and Maligmat alongside other key players Jaja Tulang and Zonxi Dahab leading the way, Lyceum immediately took the opening set as Mapua was slowed to convert on the court.
But Mapua rediscovered its true form came the succeeding sets all thanks to rookie Roxie Dela Cruz, whose attack halfway through the frame brought the Lady Cardinals to a 15-6 advantage. The 19-year-old open spiker then sent Mapua to the set point, 24-14, before Lyceum setter Venice Puzon committed a service fault as Mapua evened the series, 25-16.
Dela Cruz refused to slow down, going for a kill that made it a 24-20 affair in the crucial third set. The game officials initially whistled a net error against Lyceum, but the Lady Pirates challenged the call which was eventually deemed unsuccessful as Mapua took a commanding 2-1 set lead.
Lyceum came to life in the fourth with Dolorito going for a down-the-line hit to take the lead, 22-21, as Tulang's quick hammer capped off a 3-0 closing run for the Lady Pirates to force a fifth set, 25-22.
Lyceum continued riding on that momentum with Maligmat, Dogun, and Dolorito conniving for a much-needed 6-4 spread in the deciding fifth set before Chenie Batac's cross-court kill pulled Mapua to within one, 6-5.
But Lyceum ignited for a furious 9-0 run with Maligmat's service ace putting the punctuation.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
