Reporting note: this article draws on philstar.com; LodiScore provides the summary and editorial framing.
ICC Lady Blue Hawks Sweep Lyceum to Reach UCAL Semis
The ICC Lady Blue Hawks are the first team through in the women's division of the PGFlex Linoleum-UCAL Season 9 Volleyball Championships. Immaculada Concepcion College swept the Lyceum of the Philippines University Lady Pirates, 27-25, 25-20, 25-20, at the University of Batangas Millennium Gym in Batangas City.
That's six straight wins for ICC, and it locks up the first outright semifinal berth in the field. No tiebreakers. No waiting on other results. The Lady Blue Hawks went out and handled it themselves.
Andrea Caparal Drops 24 Points on the Lady Pirates
Outside hitter Andrea Caparal did the heavy lifting, finishing with 24 points on 21 attacks, two blocks and one ace. That's the same form that won her Season 8 Finals MVP honors, and Lyceum never really found an answer for her at the net.
The opening set was the one that got away from the Lady Pirates. They pushed it to 25-all before ICC closed it out 27-25. Drop a frame like that and the next two can feel like a climb. ICC won both by identical 25-20 margins.
Why the Straight-Set Result Matters for ICC
An outright semis spot is worth more than it looks. ICC skips the scramble at the bottom of the standings, where every remaining elimination-round match carries extra weight for everybody else.
It also keeps the streak alive. Six in a row in a college conference isn't luck. It's a team that has figured out how to close tight sets, and the 27-25 opener is the proof. Deuce frame, and the Lady Blue Hawks still finished the job.
What's Next in UCAL Season 9
ICC's semifinal opponent isn't set yet. The Lady Blue Hawks are the first team through, with the rest of the women's field still to be sorted out in the remaining elimination games.
For Lyceum, the loss means going back to the drawing board against a side that just beat them in straight sets. Any shot at a rematch depends on how the rest of the bracket shakes out.
The original report on this match is from philstar.com.
