Colegio de San Juan fended off a late Set 3 rally from Lyceum of the Philippines University to complete a 25-19, 25-19, 25-23 win in the NCAA Season 101 women’s volleyball tournament on Wednesday at the EAC Gym in Manila.
The Lady Knights got an all-around game from senior opposite spiker Judiel Nitura as they surged to an 11-0 card in Group A, moving two victories away from sweeping the preliminary round and assuring them of the top spot in Pool B.
Nitura dropped 14 points anchored on nine attacks, four aces, and a block to help Letran spoil a comeback attempt from the struggling Lady Pirates in the third frame.
She then fired one of her aces early in the third to allow Letran to build a 4-1 start before she fired another ace to make it a 16-12 cushion.
However, LPU, the finalist two years ago, fought back from that deficit with veteran Johna Dolorito burying a down-the-line hammer from the left side to pull the Lady Piraes to within two, 22-20.
The Lady Pirates’ rally was then stopped courtesy of their own service error as Nitura took flight from the opposite wing to punctuate the sweep victory.
The loss sent LPU to 3-9 in the same group as the Lady Pirates now have to make it past the play-in stage to advance to the quarterfinals.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
