Dasmariñas essayed a stellar come-from-behind win over Biñan Tatak Gel, 25-16, 22-25, 19-25, 25-13, 15-9, to stay unbeaten in Round 2 of the 2025 Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA) on Tuesday night at the Bacoor Strike Gym in Manila.

Dasmariñas met its first real test and trailed at 1-2 before flaunting championship pedigree in the last two sets to keep a stranglehold of the top spot at 9-0.

Celine Marsh scored 12 of her 22 points in the last two frames to help the Monarchs score a repeat win on Biñan, which finished runner-up to Quezon last season in the upstart regional volleyball league founded by also MPBL chairman Manny Pacquiao.

Marsh drew ample support from Vange Alinsug with 18 points including three in the final set as Natasha Kaye Bombita and Minierva Maaya contributed 13 points each for the charges of coach Regine Diego.

Dasmariñas, made up of the core from the two-time University Athletic Association of the Philippines and three-time Shakey’s Super League champion National University, stared at absorbing its first defeat after a flat start that proved a stark contrast to its easier 25-10, 25-17, 25-13 win in only 77 minutes in the first round.

But the Monarchs just had an incomparable experience when it mattered most, running away with a 12-point advantage in the fourth to force a rubber, where they scored a dominant 15-9 victory in more than two hours of play.

Crisanta Servidad rifled in 18 points while Laika Tudlasan and Catherine Domasig had 10 points each as the Lady Chiefs slid to 5-3 at third place with the Pasay Lady Voyagers (5-4) knocking on their doorstep.

Reigning champion Quezon, for its part, hardly broke a sweat against the San Juan Lady Knights with a 25-14, 25-23, 25-18 win, for its eight win in a row to stay on the coattails of Dasmariñas.

Camila Abor Bartolome fired 14 points while Shahanna Lleses and Zamantha Nolasco had 13 and 10 points, respectively, for the Tangerines who dropped their lone loss so far against Dasmariñas in the opener.

Quezon is backed by four-time champion National Collegiate Athletic Association champion College of Saint Benilde, looking for a title repeat after last season’s dominant campaign.

Kaycee Balingit had eight for the Lady Knights, who remained at sixth place with a 3-6 slate.

Meanwhile, Pasay (5-4) scored a crucial 25-14, 25-11, 27-29, 25-10 win over the Marikina Lady Shoemasters (1-8) to move within striking distance of Biñan in the heating up second round of the league organized by the Volleyball Masters of the Philippines.

Angel Mae Antipuesto posted 13 points while Krisca Marie Cosmod and Florize Ann Papa added 12 points each for Pasay as Selene Dagarat served as the lone twin-digit with 14 points for Marikina.