The young prevail

Saturday, January 7, 2012

THE younger RTM-University of St. La Salle decided to pull off an upset at the most perfect time—the championship of the Mandaue Volleyball Open, where they trounced no less than the much-hyped Philippine Army squad in five sets, 23-25, 25-13, 19-25, 25-16, 15-12, the other night at the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex.

Not only did the win give the team the bragging rights of having won against mostly members of the Philippine national squad, but also the P30,000 top purse.

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RTM-La Salle is backed by volleyball patron and coach Fr. Rolando Manayon. He tapped players from the University of St. La Salle of Bacolod, backed by his own squad from Pajo National High School.

RTM-La Salle may have been up against battle-tested veterans, but the squad brandished the fighting spirit and fresh young legs that got them all the way to the fifth set, where the Philippine Army started to lose steam.

Manayon had led Pajo countless of times in many a championship.

Their latest exploit is the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association volleyball competitions, where they took the secondary girls title that gave them a slot to the Palarong Pambansa.

The Philippine Army is composed of players who are considered the country’s top female players like Michelle and Mayette Carolino, Joanne Bunag, Dahlia Cruz and Mary Jean Balse.

The RTM squad was powered by Pajo’s best player and Milo Little Olympics Most Outstanding Player Gretchen Soltones. She was joined in the team by Janice Dolar, Sheryl June Denila and Patty Jane Orendain.

The Philippine Army settled for the P15,000 prize.

Meanwhile, host team Mandaue City snagged the third place after making easy work of Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) champions Southwestern University, 25-15, 25-11, 25-11.