By NIKOLE JAVIER
University of the Philippines made short work of Mapua in straight sets, 25-19, 25-21, 25-11, to sweep the preliminaries in Pool A in the Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Conference Sunday, Oct. 22, at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The Fighting Maroons, who improved to 4-0, will complete the cast in Pool E along with the Perpetual Lady Altas, National University Lady Bulldogs and Ateneo Lady Eagles in a single round robin to determine their final quarterfinals ranking.
Danica Celis, Jewel Encarnacion and Joan Marie Monares all finished with nine points for the Fighting Maroons in a total team effort to boot the Lady Cardinals out of the league with a 1-3 slate.
In the next play, College of St. Benilde finally joined the winning column in three outings to cap off the hostilities in Pool D against the winless Letran, 25-12, 25-17, 25-19.
Down 16-13 in the third frame, the Lady Blazers quickly got on their feet to wipe the Lady Knights’ lead to even the game at 19-all, before Gayle Pascual and Mycah Go joined hands to seal the win for the Taft-based crew.
Cydel Mae Catarig led the Lady Blazers with nine points off eight attacks and one block.