Roxie dela Cruz got one over her previous team after helping Lyceum of the Philippines University pull off a 25-13, 25-15, 23-25, 15-25, 15-13 win against Mapua University in NCAA Season 101 women’s volleyball on Sunday.
Dela Cruz churned out 12 points in her first meeting against the Lady Cardinals since deciding to leave and transfer to LPU in 2024.
Ashley Muchillas was also huge in the five-set escape as the lefty opposite spiker poured a team-high 19 points while veteran Johna Dolorito chipped in 17 markers and 15 digs as LPU captured its third win in a row after a gloomy 0-3 start.
The Lady Cardinals, meanwhile, absorbed their second loss in a row to go 2-3 in Group A.
Dela Cruz and the rest of the Lady Pirates were off to a huge start after dominating the Lady Cardinals in the first two sets.
Mapua, however, refused to give up with rookie Alex Leabres bringing them to a 23-all deadlock in the third frame before back-to-back errors from LPU sealed it for the Lady Cardinals.
Mapua then just flaunted its offense in the fourth, unleashing 18 attacks against the nine of LPU as the wards of head coach Aying Esteban dragged the Lady Pirates to a deciding set.
LPU would secure a crucial 14-10 lead in the fifth set following an attack error from Leabres, who was helped off the court after suffering an apparent injury due to an awkward landing.
That sparked Mapua in the next sequence after the Lady Cardinals unleashed a 3-0 rampage capped by a Franchesca Esteban ace, 14-13. She, however, overcooked the next one as LPU closed out the thriller.
Leabres finished with with 13 points and three receptions while Freighanne Garcia paced Mapua with 14 markers, 13 digs, and five receptions.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
