By: Aianna Xyril Monsod
Photo courtesy of Anne Nicole Rebagay | The LANCE
Letran’s volleyball teams bagged double victories after defeating the JRU Bombers and Lady Bombers yesterday at the NCAA Season 101 Volleyball Tournament held at the San Andres Sports Complex, Manila.
The Letran Lady Knights kept their unblemished record intact after a dominant straight-sets demolition of the JRU Lady Bombers, 25–17, 25–12, 25–21.
Verenicce Colendra exploded for a match-high 18 points, teaming up with Vanessa Sarie’s 14-point effort to spearhead Letran’s relentless offensive assault.
The opening frame was a grueling war of attrition characterized by marathon rallies, but the Lady Knights’ floor defense proved superior as Lara Silva anchored the backline with 19 digs and eight receptions. While both squads traded blows in a back-and-forth exchange, the Lady Bombers eventually crumbled under their own unforced errors, allowing Letran to pull away and secure a 25–17 set victory.
The Lady Knights turned the second set into a one-sided affair with a blistering offensive display. Natalie Estreller orchestrated the attacks masterfully, repeatedly finding Colendra in rhythm while also contributing six points of her own. On the other side, JRU struggled to keep pace and failed to contain Letran’s sustained pressure. Off the bench, Judiel Nitura and Syra Silorio made their presence felt with timely points, sealing a dominant 25–12 frame.
The Lady Bombers mounted a late push in the final set behind the scoring of Nicole Deala and Gayle Batara, trimming the gap and forcing extended exchanges. The set tightened into a point-for-point battle until a series of violations by Letran allowed JRU to knot the count at 18-all.
The Intramuros-based crew erased their late-set lapses with aggressive hitting, highlighted by Yen Martin’s back-to-back scores, ultimately closing out the match and maintaining a perfect 6–0 slate.
Czarina Ramos led JRU with 10 points, while Batara and Deala added nine and seven, respectively.
Meanwhile, the Knights handed the Bombers a lopsided defeat, taking all three sets, 25-18, 25–19, 25–11.
Letran rode a trio of double-digit scorers, paced by Bembem Bautista’s 15 points, with Dave Lardizabal contributing 13 and Vince Himzon adding 12.
The Knights maintained control throughout the first two sets, consistently staying ahead in a series of hard-fought rallies. They relied on a balanced attack led by Bautista, Lardizabal, and Himzon, while JRU leaned heavily on Jeff Macalacad, with Paolo Barrientos chipping in during the second set.
Both teams traded powerful hits, with strong attacks on either side forcing occasional errors, but Letran’s depth allowed them to close out each frame, establishing a commanding two-set stranglehold on the match.
The Knights ran away with the third set, 25–11, as the Bomber’s offense faltered and the former’s scoring trio, plus Christer Ambrocio, kept their scoring surge alive.
Macalacad carried JRU with 10 points, while Barrientos added six in support.
The Knights moved to a 3–3 mark in Group B following the win.
Letran is set to take on San Sebastian College-Recoletos on February 15.