Mojica powers EAC over DLSU for semis ticket in Spikers' Turf

MANILA, Philippines – Howard Mojica came through with another spectacular performance as he powered NCAA champion Emilio Aguinaldo College to a 25-23, 23-25, 25-20, 26-24 victory over La Salle on Wednesday to clinch a semifinals spot in the Spikers’ Turf's Season 1-Collegiate Conference at The Arena in San Juan City.

The power-spiking Mojica, the reigning NCAA MVP, unleashed a game-best 35 hits, 28 of which came on kills, five on service aces and two on blocks, as the Generals booked a semis berth by winding up with a 4-3 (win-loss) record.

It was another breathtaking performance for Mojica, who had scored a whopping 129 points and averaged an impressive 32.5 points in his last four outings.

It included a 38-point and 41-point efforts in EAC's heartbreaking losses to St. Benilde, 22-25, 25-21, 25-16, 22-25, 13-15, and reigning UAAP titlist Ateneo, 21-25, 25-20, 23-25, 23-25, two weeks ago.

He had only 18 the last game because EAC made quick work of University of the Philippines, 25-17, 25-23, 25-16, last week.

And then Mojica turned off the switch and went on attack mode again.

"He was on beast mode, I guess," said EAC coach Rodrigo Palmero.

EAC will play either No. 1 seed Ateneo, the UAAP title-holder, or No. 2 National U in the best-of-three semis starting next week.

The Archers were led by John Arjay Onia's 16 and Cris Bernard Dumago's 13 but failed to find an answer to Mojica and fell to 3-4.

In the second match, University of the Philippines denied National College of Business and Arts a place in the semis with a heart-stopping 25-21, 22-25, 25-19, 23-25, 15-11 victory to close out their campaign with a 2-5 mark.

The Wildcats fell to their fourth defeat against three wins and into a tie for the fourth and last semis seat with the Archers.

NCBA and La Salle will clash in a sudden death match on Monday to clinch the last spot.