The Lady Cardinals improved to a 1-4 record and revived their semifinal hopes behind Alyanna Ong, who led the charge with 26 points and a game-high four blocks, including a pivotal rejection in the fourth set that kept Mapua in contention against the resilient Blue Eagles.
Freighanne Garcia also shone for the Lady Cardinals, scoring a match-best 26 points on 23 spikes and adding three service aces.
Angelick Gavoca provided steady playmaking with 23 excellent sets and contributed four points of her own, including back-to-back one-two plays in the tightly contested fourth set.
"Sabi ko nga sa mga bata, siguro 'yung pangatlong talo namin, wake up call na sa 'min 'yon; na ano ba nangyayari dyan," said Aying Esteban, long-time Mapua head coach. "Ni-reset lang namin 'yung team namin; masyadong mataas 'yung tension. Masyadong takot ng magkamali.
"Ni-reset namin mga sarili namin, kahit kaming coaches kasi masyadong mabigat na 'yung dinadala namin. At least Nakita namin na nag-react 'yung mga bata sa ginawa namin," he added.
Ateneo threatened to push the match further with seniors Gena Hora and Taks Fujimoto stepping up in the crucial moments of the fourth set.
A spike from Hora gave the Blue Eagles a set-point advantage, but two consecutive errors from the opposite hitter sent the set into a deuce at 24.
That proved to be the turning point, as Mapua eventually closed out the match in two hours and nine minutes.
The Lady Cardinals will face the league-leading Adamson University Lady Falcons (4-0) the following day at 10 a.m.
For Ateneo, Zey Pacia led the effort with 13 points, while Alana Tan-chi added 10 markers.
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