No Jaja Tulang, no problem.
Lyceum of the Philippines University powered through with a short-handed lineup, turning to veterans and spark plugs to pull off a 25-16, 25-15, 27-29, 23-25, 15-10 win against Mapua University in the NCAA Season 100 women's volleyball on Tuesday.
The Lady Pirates, whose main opposite hitter Tulang was sidelined due to a shoulder injury she sustained from last game, captured their fifth straight win to improve to 6-6 while the Lady Cardinals absorbed their third loss in a row for a 7-5 card.
The duo of Johna Dolorito and Joan Doguna rose to the occasion with the former dropping 24 points and 14 receptions while Doguna churned out 23 markers and 17 digs.
Ashley Muchillas, who was fielded as replacement for Tulang, delivered big time with 15 points while middle blocker Hiromi Osada chipped in 14 in the grueling match.
"Sabi ko sa mga bata dapat resilient kami. Knowing Mapua, queen of five sets, ang hirap talaga nilang kalaban. Even way back before, lagi kaming five sets sa kanila," LPU head coach Cromwel Garcia said.
'I'm so happy na nakaabot kami ng five sets na kami 'yung panalo."
[I told the players, we have to be resilient. Knowing Mapua, queen of five sets, they're so tought to play. Even way before, we always went five sets with them... I'm so happy we reached five sets and we got the win.]
LPU had a breakdown in the third and fourth sets, which both saw the Lady Pirates leading for most of the game before collapsing late as the Lady Cardinals dragged them to a fifth set behind Nadine Berces and Freighanne Garcia.
But when it mattered most, LPU got the job done.
An Osada quick play and a Doguna kill sent LPU to an 8-5 lead before the latter went for a down-the-line kill that had them taking a much-needed 12-8 cushion.
Osada and Muchillas connived for a rejection on Garcia before the former unleashed a quick attack to deliver the match point at 14-9. Dolorito finished it off, going for a long ball from the left wing.
Garcia paced Mapua with 16 points while Berces and Nicole Ong each chipped in 15 markers. Berces also had 11 digs and nine receptions.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
