Colegio de San Juan de Letran passed its biggest test so far.
The Lady Knights displayed grit down the stretch to pull off a 15-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-15, 15-10 win against defending champion De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and remain spotless in NCAA Season 101 women's volleyball on Sunday.
Letran clung to the troika of Judiel Nitura, Gia Maquilang, and Vanessa Sarie to outlast the reigning four-time champions and surge to a 9-0 card in Group B. The Lady Knights’ win not only kept their unbeaten run alive but also virtually locked in a twice-to-beat edge for the quarterfinals.
The Lady Blazers, on the other hand, endured their third loss of the season—all in five-setters—dropping to 6-3 in Group A.
Nitura led the show with 22 points, including the block that clinched the match point in Set 5. Maquilang posted a triple-double of 16 points. 18 digs, and 12 receptions while Sarie churned out 13 markers, highlighted by the clutch service ace that sealed it all.
Benilde started out hot in Set 5 after racing to a 4-1 cushion, but Letran quickly regrouped with Maquilang converting back-to-back kills to tie it at 4-all. Clydel Catarig, though, unleashed one from the right side to give Benilde a narrow 7-6 lead.
The Lady Knights then responded with a 4-1 rampage capped by two straight kills from sophomore star Sarie as Letran turned things around to take a 10-8 lead.
Letran would clinch the 14-10 match point after Nitura and Leonilyn Padilla joined hands to put the roof on Shekaina Lleses from the left wing before Sarie closed it out from the service deck.
The win allowed Letran to avenge last year's finals heartbreak, where they were swept by Benilde in their best-of-three championship round.
Catarig and Zam Nolasco paced the Blazers in yet another loss with the opposite hitter dropping 19 points and the middle blocker posting 17 markers.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
