JOSE Rizal University rode on a career effort by Shola Alvarez as it turned back Letran, 22-25, 28-26, 25-17, 25-16, yesterday to remain in the Final Four hunt in the 93rd NCAA women’s volleyball tournament at the Filoil Arena in San Juan City.
The power-spiking Alvarez unloaded 30 points, which is not only her best in JRU uniform but also a season-high, to help propel the Lady Bombers at joint fourth with the San Sebastian Lady Stags with 5-3 (win-loss) records while staying in the race.
JRU could strengthen their chances even more if it could hurdle an already eliminated Lyceum, which lost to Emilio Aguinaldo, 25-14, 25-21, 23-25, 17-25, 15-11, earlier, on Tuesday.
The Lady Bombers started out slow, dropped the opening set and trailed by as much as nine points in the second, 8-17, and looked headed to a loss.
But Alvarez went on attack mode as she teamed up with prized rookie recruit Dolly Grace Versoza, who chipped in 17 hits, in willing JRU back in the game to steal the second set in a heart-stopping finish.
After dropping what could have been an easy 2-0 set lead, Letran was never the same from there and helplessly watched Alvarez do her work and slid to 3-5 and out of contention.
Alvarez thus eclipsed her previous high of 28 points she accomplished at the expense of San Sebastian, 27-25, 25-23, 22-25, 16-25, 15-12, on Jan. 8.
In men’s action, EAC trounced LPU, 25-20, 25-18, 20-25, 25-19, to hike its slate to 4-4 while dealing the latter to its sixth defeat against two wins.