MANILA – Iloilo City’s pride Camila Amor Bartolome put on a dominant scoring display to tow the reigning champion Quezon Tangerines to their first victory in the 2025 Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA), sweeping the Caloocan AM Spikers, 25-12, 25-14, 25-21, at the Arellano Gym.
Bartolome, who was later named Player of the Game, spearheaded Quezon’s attack with 19 points built on crisp hits and steady plays as the Tangerines bounced back from their opening-week stumble to Dasmariñas for a 1-1 card.
She drew solid backup from Yesha Keith Rojo and Fionna Marie Inocentes, who added nine points apiece in the wire-to-wire triumph.
Caloocan, meanwhile, struggled to keep pace despite Souzan Raslan’s nine-point output, dropping to 0-1 in the early standings.
In other matches, the Dasmariñas Monarchs tightened their grip on the top spot by dispatching the Pasay Lady Monarchs, 25-13, 26-24, 25-20, for a second straight sweep. Evangeline Alinsug topscored with 12 markers, while Alexa Nichole Mata and Negrense Myrtle Escanlar chipped in nine each.
Dasmariñas, bannered by standouts from the multi-titled NU Lady Bulldogs, needed just 81 minutes to subdue Pasay, following their three-set win over Quezon last week. The Monarchs improved to 2-0 in the eight-team tournament organized by the Volleyball Masters of the Philippines and founded by former Senator Manny Pacquiao.
Pasay dropped to 1-1 despite double-digit contributions from Euricka Eslapor (14) and Florize Ann Papa (10), after an opening-week five-set escape against Negros ICC Blue Hawks.
The San Juan Lady Knights, meanwhile, opened their campaign on a high note, sweeping the Marikina Lady Shoemasters, 25-17, 25-20, 25-16, behind Kaycee Balingit’s 12 and Cunada Chamberlaine’s 10 points. Brigitte Martinez led Marikina in a losing effort with eight points./PN
