Dasmariñas City moved closer to a first-round sweep by fending off San Juan, 25-17, 25-19, 20-25, 25-10, in Week 4 of the 2025 Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA) on Monday night at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

Samantha Cantada, a former University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) juniors Most Valuable Player and incoming rookie in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament, sizzled with 18 points to spearhead the barrage as the Monarchs extended their unbeaten run to five games.

Natasha Kaye Bombita added 13 points while Abegail Pono and Denesse Daylisan had nine and seven points, respectively, for the Monarchs backed by back-to-back UAAP and three-time SSL champion National University.

Aces Vange Alinsug and Celine Marsh didn’t even see action for the Monarchs, a solid testament to their depth and firepower in the upstart volleyball league.

Dasmariñas, which also beat contenders Quezon and Biñan in an early rampage, dropped the third set but was unforgiving in a fourth-set closeout with a 15-point difference.

Mary Christine Ecalla scored 11 points for the Lady Knights, who tripped to a 1-5 slate.

In other games, the Quezon Tangerines and Biñan Tatak Gel Arellano Lady Chiefs braved on with gutsy wins against different counterparts to stay within striking distance of Dasmariñas in the MPVA backed by Mikasa, Asics, Spurway Enterprise, Gerflor, Smart Communications and XIV Apparel.

Reigning champion Quezon trumped the ICC Negros Blue Hawks, 25-17, 25-20, 22-25, 25-15, to move to solo second at 4-1 as last season’s runner-up Biñan escaped home team Pasay, 22-25, 25-20, 14-25, 25-17, 15-13, for a 3-1 record.

Zamantha Nolasco fired 12 points while Shahanna Lleses and Clydel Mae Catarig had 10 points each for the Tangerines represented by four-peat National Collegiate Athletic Association champion College of Saint Benilde.

It’s the fourth straight win for Quezon after bowing to Dasmariñas in the opener of the MPVA organized by the Volleyball Masters of the Philippines.