Momentum in the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament can shift in a blink — and on Saturday, it tilted firmly toward the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA.
Sophomore standout Jemalyn “Jem” Menor delivered a career-defining performance, pouring in 26 points to lift the Perpetual Lady ALTAs past Arellano University, 25-14, 24-26, 25-19, 25-22, in Season 101 action at the San Andres Sports Complex.
More than just a scoring outburst, Menor’s outing was a declaration. After absorbing their first setback of the campaign against Letran, the Lady ALTAs needed a stabilizing force. They found it in their relentless outside spiker, who combined offensive firepower with 13 solid receptions to anchor both ends of the floor.
With the win, Perpetual climbed to 6-1 in Group A, reasserting itself as a legitimate contender as the elimination round intensifies. Arellano, meanwhile, slipped to 2-4 in Group B, absorbing its second straight defeat despite flashes of late resistance.
The match unfolded as a battle of composure.
Perpetual dominated the opening set with sharp floor defense and crisp transition attacks. But Arellano refused to fold, clawing out a tense second-set victory after capitalizing on late miscues to level the match. That response hinted at a brewing momentum swing — one the Lady Chiefs nearly completed in the fourth frame.
Menor, however, had other plans.
After helping build a 14-10 cushion in the fourth set, she continued to hammer through the block as Arellano mounted a furious push. Heart Villaflores ignited a 4-1 burst to slice the deficit to a single point, and the Lady Chiefs even knotted the score at 20-all following a service error and a key block by Sam Tiratira.
That was as close as they would get.
Perpetual responded with a decisive 3-0 run, exploiting defensive gaps and forcing attack errors. Even when Moming Padillon reignited Arellano’s hopes with consecutive kills, Menor answered with a crushing hit from the opposite side to restore order. Veteran Shai Omipon sealed the match moments later, punctuating a composed closeout that underscored the Lady ALTAs’ maturity.
Omipon added 12 points and 12 receptions, while Cha Enrico and Cyrille Almeniana chipped in 11 each. Almeniana’s 17 digs proved crucial in sustaining long rallies and neutralizing Arellano’s counterattacks.
For the Lady Chiefs, Crisanta Servidad paced the offense with 13 points, and Padillon contributed nine, but their late-set surges ultimately lacked the finishing edge needed to force a decider.
As Season 101 heads deeper into its group stage, Perpetual’s victory was more than a bounce-back win — it was a reminder of its offensive depth and closing resolve. And at the center of it all stood Menor, whose breakout performance may well shape the Lady ALTAs’ championship trajectory moving forward.