Navarro explodes for 24 as Benilde clips resilient TIP

MANILA, Philippines – The College of St. Benilde Lady Blazers refused to be another comeback victim of the Technological Institute of the Philippines Lady Engineers as they eked out a 25-16, 25-21, 19-25, 25-22 win in the Shakey’s V-League 12 Collegiate Conference on Saturday, July 18 at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The Lady Blazers rose to 2-0 and gained solo lead in Group B. 

Jannine Navarro dropped 24 points on 22 kills and a pair of rejections as they averted a collapse similar to what TIP forced on sister team DLSU-Dasmariñas last Sunday, where they came back from a 0-2 hole to win in 5 sets. 

Middle blocker Jeanette Panaga shored up Navarro’s effort with 19 points comprised of 11 attacks, 5 blocks and 3 service aces. 

Ranya Musa and Melanie Torres also finished in double figures with 13 and 12 points, respectively, with Musa capitalizing on 4 aces on top of 8 spikes. Torres supported libero Rica Jane Esclona’s 20 excellent digs with 5 of her own. And Djanel Cheng was on point as she tallied 38 excellent sets. 

Like the Lady Patriots before them, the Lady Blazers wrested control of the match with a 2 sets to none lead, but the Lady Engineers took advantage of Benilde slightly relaxing at the start of the third canto and raced to a 6-1 edge. 

TIP went on to lead by 20-15 in the third even as Panaga tried to force her team back into the game. 

The fourth set was a nip-and-tuck affair with both teams never relenting more than a point after Panaga’s ace brought Benilde to within 16-17 after trailing 14-17.

Eden Faith Maturan, who led the Lady Engineers with 13 points all off attacks, ended a lengthy scrappy rally with a kill that broke the 19-all deadlock. But her ensuing service error gave that earned point back to the Lady Blazers. 

Things were knotted up for the last time at 22-all courtesy of Panaga, who was responsible for 4 of Benilde’s last 5 points highlighted by a pair of solid blocks and a kill where she found the hole in the back row. 

Hezzymei Acuña added 12 points as TIP forced Benilde to commit 28 errors. The Lady Engineers, which slipped to a 1-1 record, played efficiently particularly in the third set where they limited themselves to a single error as opposed to 9 by their foes. – Rappler.com