Khy Cepada took control in the fifth set, delivering six of her 16 points to lead the Lady Warriors to the rousing victory that leveled their record at 2-2, securing them the fourth spot in the standings.
But the victory was far from a solo effort as Cepada received crucial support in Set 5 from Kayce Balingit, Tin Ecalla and even service specialist Beatrice Zamudio, all of whom played pivotal roles in completing the Lady Warriors’ comeback after being down 1-2 in sets.
Despite the win, UE head coach Obet Vital expressed concern over his team’s mental toughness, which he believes needs improvement as the tournament progresses.
“I’m glad we pulled off the win, at the end we pulled it together,” said Vital. “However, we are struggling mentally. They’re not being as tough as I would want them to be.”
Balingit contributed 14 points, while Jenalyn Umayam added 13 in three sets. Riza Nogales also chipped in with 10 markers to round out UE’s balanced attack.
The Lady Warriors also neutralized Lyceum’s Johna Dolorito, who had a monster game with 30 points. Despite Dolorito’s heroics, Lyceum fell to 0-4 in the standings.
Angelica Cruz and Joan Doguna also scored 13 points each for Lyceum, which also drew 10 markers from Hiromi Osada.
Looking ahead, both teams will face Colegio de San Juan de Letran next. The Lady Warriors will take on the Lady Knights on Sunday, while the Lady Pirates will get their shot at Letran on Sept. 8.
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