Arellano spoils Freighanne Garcia's 38-point outburst to salvage third place finish

GMA Network

3 days ago

NCAA
By BEA MICALLER,GMA Integrated News
Arellano University weathered a scoring outburst from Freighanne Garcia to salvage a podium finish against Mapua University, 27-25, 22-25, 31-29, 20-25, 15-9 during their battle for third place in the NCAA Season 100 women's volleyball tournament on Sunday at the Filoil Centre.
Garcia poured in a new NCAA scoring record of 38 points, eclipsing a previous mark set by Colegio de San Juan de Letran star rookie Vanessa Sarie, who churned out 37 points last May 16 against, incidentally, Arellano as well.
But the Lady Chiefs banked on the tandem of Moming Padillon and Laika Tudlasan with the former scattering 25 points anchored on 22 attacks and three blocks while the latter posted 20 markers.
Graduating opposite spiker Pau De Guzman chipped in 14 points to mark her last game in college.
"Despite sa lahat ng pinagdaanan namin, I am extremely proud po na naka-third place pa rin po 'yung team namin," KC Adante, another graduating Lady Chief, told GMA News Online.
"Nabuo 'yung bond namin as a team and nakaka-proud lang talaga na nabigyan pa rin namin ng magandang exit 'yung team this season kahit 'di namin nakuha 'yung championship."
After splitting the first four sets, Arellano got its act together in the deciding frame with Fhaye Mangubat unleashing a quick attack that sent the Lady Chiefs to a 6-4 lead before Mapua committed back-to-back attack errors that allowed Arellano to create a four-point cushion.
Garcia, though, fueled a rally that saw her unloading four consecutive attacks that sliced the gap to a solitary point, 8-9. A Padillon sent down-the-line hit before another attack error from Mapua enabled Arellano to soar to the match point at 14-9 as Garcia's attack error finished it off for Arellano.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News