Mapúa Lady Cardinals Bow Out of NCAA Season 100 with a Final Four Finish

Article by: Alexa Juliana E. Karaan and Lorrieza Jhoilyn C. Punzalan

Graphics by: Albert Dylan D. David and Sean Carlo O. Samonte

Photo by: Angelica Stacy D. de Guzman

Closing their season on a hard-fought campaign, the Mapúa Lady Cardinals finished strong at fourth in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 100 Women’s Tournament as they stood their ground against the De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) Lady Blazers and the Arellano University (AU) Lady Chiefs in their respective matches last June 1 and 8 at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.

Storming into the semi-finals last June 1 in the fourth seed from an 11-7 elimination round record, the Lady Cardinalsfaced an uphill battle against the defending champions, DLS-CSB Lady Blazers, who were armed with a twice-to-beat advantage.

Muralla's squad came out swinging, shaking the defending champions with a blistering 25-50 opener. However, as the game progressed, the red and gold spark quickly fizzled as DLS-CSB Lady Blazers pounced upon the team in the following sets 15-25, 17-25, 18-25. The 1-4 match denied the Lady Cardinals a position in the finals, but did not extinguish their drive to aim for the last spot in the podium at bronze.

Carrying the banner of Intramuros, outside hitter Freighanne Garcia soared at 14 points including 12 spikes and two service aces while opposite hitter Raissa Ricablanca was just behind with 13 points–all built on attacks.

Clinging to hopes of a podium finish on June 8, the red and gold squad marched into the bronze medal duel against the AU Lady Chiefs. The opening frame immediately set the tone to a razor-thin exchange that stretched into a deuce, but the Lady Cardinals slowly faltered in the closing plays, surrendering the first set. Refusing to back down, the Lady Cardinals clawed through the next three sets in a nail-biting tug-of-war. They stole momentum in the second set, 25-22, only to be dragged into a marathon third that ended heartbreakingly at 29-31. A gutsy 25-20 win in the fourth kept their medal hopes alive, but the Lady Chiefs showed championship grit in the do-or-die frame, pulling away for a decisive 15-9 finish to seize the bronze and leave the Intramuros squad empty-handed.

Yet, amid the heartbreak,, Garcia has set an All-Time Scoring Record in the NCAA Women's Volleyball garnering 38 points from 37 spikes and one block, ensuring that their banner from Muralla still waved proudly in the annals of the volleyball scene.

Closing the curtain on their NCAA Season 100 campaign, the red and gold squad cemented themselves as Final Four contenders while carving out record-setting moments along the way. Though a podium finish slipped from their grasp, the home team showed indelible grit and determination throughout the season from outstanding plays, multiple win-streaks, and “Player of the Week” titles that underscored their consistency. The centennial season may be over, but the fire lit by the Lady Cardinals promises brighter days in the seasons to come.