Raissa Ricablanca shone when it mattered most as Mapua University fended off a fourth-set rally from Jose Rizal University to eke out a 25-15, 29-27, 21-25, 25-22 win in the NCAA Season 101 women's volleyball on Saturday at the San Andres Sports Complex.
The lefty opposite hitter dropped 28 points while Alexander Leabres churned out 20 markers as the Lady Cardinals captured their second win in a row since dropping their opening game against De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
Mapua also added to the woes of the Lady Bombers, who slipped to a 0-3 start despite explosive outings from the pair of Nicole Deala and Czarina Ramos, who both exploded for 19 points.
Ricablanca was unstoppable right from the get-go, unleashing a cross from the right wing as Mapua survived an extended Set 2 to move a set away from the victory.
Ricablanca continued punishing the Lady Bombers in the third frame by fueling a 4-0 run that turned a 12-17 deficit to a slim 16-17 disadvantage. Back-to-back errors from her, though, allowed JRU to take the set point at 24-20 before Ramos ended a rally to keep JRU alive in the match.
Mapua raced to a huge 18-13 cushion in the fourth thanks to a series of aces from Freighanne Garcia and Angelick Gavica. But JRU refused to surrender with Deala powering a 7-3 rampage that trimmed Mapua's lead to just one, 21-20.
Mapua responded with a 3-0 swing capped by a miscommunication between JRU's setter Kyla Navarra and middle blocker Julia Dimatawaran, but the Lady Bombers replied with a 2-0 run of their own off two consecutive attacks from Ramos.
Mapua's seasoned middle blocker Nicole Ong, though, punctuated it with an emphatic quick attack.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
