Saturday, September 23, 2006 1st title in 10 years
The University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors marked another entry into the history books after bagging the Cesafi men’s volleyball title yesterday at the USC Gym.
This after serving the upset axe on two-time defending champion University of San Jose Recoletos (USJ-R) in four sets, 23-15, 25-19, 25-23, 29-27 for their first Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) championship.
USJ-R’s ladies’ team, however, protected the title as it defeated University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) in five sets, 15-25, 25-22, 23-5, 25-17, 15-13.
USC’s longtime coach Eugene dela Cerna said he was overwhelmed with the victory. The Warriors won its last title in 1996 yet during the Cebu Amateur Athletic Association, forerunner of the Cesafi.
“This is definitely the year of the Warriors. It is a good year for USC,” said USC athletic director Fr. Vic Uy, following impressive exploits of its basketball and volleyball teams.
The other day, USC also entered the Cesafi basketball finals for the first time. Despite losing to the University of the Visayas, it still pulled out a momentous performance, forcing the game into overtime, the first in Cesafi basketball.
With its strong trademark defense, the USJ-R men’s volleyball team showed their championship form yesterday by winning the first set 25-23 to take the lead. But it was all that the Jaguars could muster, as it was an all-USC show afterwards. USC swept the remaining sets for the win.
Sure ball
With just one point to go for the title, USC made sure that the game will not go to another set, as it won the fourth period via the defensive block of eventual most valuable player (MVP) Roderick Arenasa and Carlo Tecson, sealing the game at 29-27.
“Having Norvie is a huge factor to this win,” dela Cerna said of his new assistant coach Norvie Labuga, who is in his first coaching stint away from his former mentor Grace Antigua.
Dela Cerna said Labuga was equipped with the necessary training expertise that the USC wards needed.
Back-to-back
Meanwhile, the USJ-R Lady Jaguars pulled a back-to-back victory with its win over USPF.
Tied with USPF at two sets apiece, USJ-R flirted with disaster, when in the deciding set it was drowned by almost five points.
It managed to level the game 11-all, before it could muster enough confidence to rally 4-2, to win the title.
Former RP Youth team mainstay Genie Sabas of USJ-R was named MVP.
UV took the third place in the men’s class with a 23-25, 19-25, 25-23, 25-13, 15-11 win over USP-F.
USC, on the other hand, grabbed third place in the women’s side, after trouncing Southwestern University in four sets.
