Latest news with #LadyCardinals
GMA Network
21 hours ago
- Sport
- GMA Network
'Charge to experience' as Mapua volleyball teams falter late in NCAA Season 100
By JUSTIN KENNETH CARANDANG,GMA Integrated News At some points of the NCAA Season 100 volleyball tournament, Mapua University's men's and women's volleyball teams were at the upper echelon of their respective standings. The Cardinals swept the first round and opened the second round with a win before falling to Arellano University, while the Lady Cardinals finished the first round with a 7-2 record. Both squads entered the Final Four, but the women's team finished fourth, while the twice-to-beat men's team lost to the Chiefs in the semifinals. For head coach Clarence Esteban who handles both teams, he's charging it to experience for now. "We fell short pero still 'yung experience, maturity, 'yung talagang fighting attitude ng athletes ko, wala pa talaga kami sa ganun. Siguro hanggang d'un pa lang talaga at 'yun ang binigay sa'min, so tatanggapin namin," Esteban said about the Lady Cardinals. "Nagpapasalamat kami na kahit papaano sa hinaba-haba ng liga na to, nakapasok kami sa Final Four." [We fell short but still, the experience, maturity, the fighting attitude of my athletes, we aren't really there yet. I guess what we're only meant to reach that level and that's what we got, so we'll take it... We're thankful that with how long this league is, we were still able to make it into the Final Four.] The Lady Cardinals finished the elimination round with an 11-7 record but along the way, Esteban said the women's squad also had challenges such as Nadine Berces' ACL injury whose next steps they will still determine. "At least kahit papano tumayo sila sa harap ng court, lumaban sila [nang patas], lumaban hanggang kaya nila." [At least they stood in front of the court, they played fair and they played til the end.] For the men's team, which made it to the semis for the first time in the Final Four era, Esteban said conditioning was a factor in their ending. "Hindi ko na mapilit ang players kasi nakikita ko talagang sobrang hirap na ng katawan nila. Tinatanong ko sila if kakayanin para maiwasan ang injury, nagsusubok kami ng ibang players sa bench para mag-activate sa performance nina Benben [San Andres]... kasi sila before ni Arjay [Ramos], pumupuntos ng mga 15 points pataas, pero kita naman sa performance talagang bumababa," Esteban said. [I couldn't push the players any harder because I could see how tough it's been on their bodies. I would ask them if they could still go so we could avoid injury, we would try different players off the bench to activate the performance of players like Benben... before, it was him and Arjay, they would score 15 points or more but you could see the performance it started to decline.] "Pag tinatanong ko sila, okay sila, pero sa action nila, hindi ganoon. Parang isip na lang gumagana, hindi na kaya ng katawan. Hanggang sa motivate na lang ng mga anong kayang gawin. Nagre-react naman sila pero sa height and skills ng kalaban maiiwan kami," he added. [When I ask them, they'd say they were okay, but in the action, it wasn't okay. Their minds still want to push, but the bodies can't. So we could only motivate for what they could still do. They reacted to it, but in height and skills, we would get left behind.] Admittedly, Esteban said there were regrets after losing in the Final Four since they were already just a win away from the finals. Instead, they were relegated to the battle for bronze. "Laking panghihinayang kasi isang panalo na lang kailangan namin kunin pero hindi namin nakuha. Nandito na tayo, kung pano na lang natin kukunin, kung paano na lang natin gagawin, nawala sa amin 'yung opportunity na 'yun, pero siyempre sabi ko sa kanila, 'yung status namin sa men's team na nakapasok sa Final Four is malaking bagay," said Esteban. [We have a lot of regrets because we only needed one more win but we weren't able to get it. We were right there, it was just how do we take this, how are we doing this. But we lost that opportunity. But of course I told them, the status of our men's team, making it to the Final Four — that's a big deal.] "Siguro charge to experience hanggang sa mag-mature din sila, lumaban sa ganun kataas na competition para sa susunod, wala na kaming problema sa labang ganon." [I guess we can charge to experience until they mature, play against this high of level of competition so that next time, we don't have a problem with this kind of match.] The Cardinals, who finished at no. 2 with a 14-4 record, will face De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, who finished no. 1 with a similar record, in the battle for third on Wednesday. —JMB, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
a day ago
- Sport
- GMA Network
Freighanne Garcia erupts for 38 points to break NCAA scoring record, vows Mapua will be better
By JUSTIN KENNETH CARANDANG,GMA Integrated News It may not have been the ending they wanted for the season but Mapua University's Freighanne Garcia gave the Lady Cardinals something positive to build on. The Intramuros-based crew fell to Arellano University, 27-25, 22-25, 31-29, 20-25, 15-9, in the NCAA Season 100 women's volleyball battle for bronze to finish fourth in the tournament, but Garcia set a new league record as she erupted for 38 points. Garcia's 38 points eclipsed the previous record registered by Colegio de San Juan de Letran's Vanessa Sarie, who scored 37 points during the Lady Knights' second round match also against Arellano. The second-year outside hitter's record-breaking performance was built on 37 attacks and one block. Apparently, Garcia was not aware about her performance last Sunday. "Hindi ko in-expect sobra," Garcia told GMA News Online. "Naglaro lang ako nang sobrang saya talaga, ang gaan lang ng feeling." "Gusto ko talaga manalo pero we fell short. Ganun talaga, may next season pa para bumawi." [I really didn't expect it. I just played with joy and the feeling was so light... I really wanted to win but we fell short. But that's the way it goes, we have next season to bounce back.] While Garcia credits her teammates for her explosive performance, the spiker from Batangas said they will just do better next season. "Siguro mas pagbutihan pa namin next season. No expectations pero we'll play well and mas magsama-sama pa kami," she added. [I guess we just have to do better next season. No expectations, but we'll play well and we'll come together.] Before playing for Mapua, Garcia was with the University of the East high school before the pandemic hit. She started training for volleyball in De La Salle Lipa before moving to Manila. —JMB, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
28-05-2025
- Sport
- GMA Network
Letran beats Mapua ahead of NCAA women's volleyball Final Four
NCAA Colegio de San Juan de Letran defeated fellow Final Four-bound Mapua University, 34-36, 25-18, 25-17, 25-22, on Wednesday in the NCAA Season 100 women's volleyball tournament at the Filoil Centre in San Juan. Letran finished the elimination round with a 15-3 record while Mapua secured the fourth spot with 11-7. After Letran claimed the third set, both teams tried to take an early advantage but the fourth set started tight, 10-10. Letran eventually pulled away, 16-11, before Nicole Ong gave a glimmer of hope for the Lady Cardinals. The likes of Gia Maquilang, Jade Isar, and Niccen Colendra led the rally for Letran as they pulled away, 23-16. Greg Cabadin, Raissa Ricablanca, a Letran attack error, and Nicole Ong trimmed Mapua's deficit to three before Colendra stopped the Lady Knights' dry spell and put them at match point. Colendra's attack then went outside but an unsuccessful net touch challenge salvaged one more for Mapua. Eventually, Isar sealed the victory in the match which lasted for two hours and 24 minutes. For head coach Oliver Almadro, the win served as a test of character for the players, especially with the semifinals coming. "This [is] a test of character and a learning process. We're happy na no matter what, we still won," Almadro said. "Maraming kailangan aralin pa para maging mas flawless pa." Maquilang, who came off the bench, had 22 points built on 19 attacks and two blocks, while Vanessa Sarie and Judiel Nitura had 15 points apiece. Sarie also had 14 digs and 10 receptions. Raissa Ricablanca led the Lady Cardinals with 18 points, while Ong and Freighanne Garcia added 15 and 14 points, respectively. Letran's final placement will be determined by Friday as De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde will still play Lyceum of the Philippines University. —JKC, GMA Integrated News
_(1)_2025_05_17_13_57_03.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
GMA Network
17-05-2025
- Sport
- GMA Network
Garcia, Ong star in endgame to seal Mapua's sweep of JRU
NCAA By BEA MICALLER,GMA Integrated News Amid a late Jose Rizal University third-set rally, Mapua University turned to the sophomore-veteran tandem of Freighanne Garcia and Nicole Ong to pull off a 25-17, 25-20, 25-22 win in NCAA Season 100 women's volleyball on Saturday. The ever-reliable Garcia led the show for the Lady Cardinals after dropping 16 points, including six in the final frame, while also grabbing nine digs and seven receptions to help the Lady Cardinals rebuild a three-game winning streak for a 10-5 record. Before that, Mapua got unlucky after sustaining three straight losses to open the second round. Garcia did not lack support as seasoned middle blocker Nicole Ong helped the cause by tallying 11 markers, highlighted by three of their last five points, while Gregchelle Cabadin and Raissa Ricablanca chipped in 12 and eight markers apiece. Mapua once found itself in trouble in the third frame when errors mounted from their side as Cabadin went wide on her opposite attack to send JRU to a 9-5 advantage. But the Lady Bombers committed a number of errors as well, which the Lady Cardinals took advantage of as they flipped the switch to gain a 17-14 cushion, thanks to a 12-5 rampage that completely swung the momentum to the Intramuros crew. JRU, though, didn't back down and even forced a 20-all deadlock off a net error from Ong. The two-time Best Middle Blocker then quickly made up for it with clutch response, unleashing a quick hammer before putting the roof on Patricia Del Pilar to bring Mapua to a 23-20 lead. Garcia then succeeded on her swipe following an overpass from JRU before Ong's quick tip off a one-handed reverse set from Angelick Gavica sealed the sweep win for Mapua. With the win, Mapua tightened its grip on the third spot as Colegio de San Juan de Letran (13-2) and three-time defending champion De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (11-2) currently occupy the top two spots. JRU, meanwhile, is already out of contention with a 1-14 card. Still, that didn't stop the Lady Bombers to put up a fight as lefty Nicole Deala led the charge with 12 points laced with eight digs and nine receptions while Del Pilar chipped in nine markers. —JKC, GMA Integrated News
