Saturday, June 30, 2007 Four-cornered Shakey’s fare
IT all comes down to four.
The four teams that emerged after the elimination round of the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball League battle each other for the most sought after crown today at the University of Southern Philippines Foundation gymnasium.
Before the final round this afternoon, the four teams still need to hurdle past their semifinals assignments in the morning.
Topbilling this mor-ning’s double header is defending champion USPF, which will take on Abellana National School (ANS) in the first game set at 8:30 a.m., followed by the matchup between Pajo National School and University of San Carlos (USC).
The winners will then square off for the title in the knockout championship round in the afternoon.
USPF has so far been living up its lofty billing when it finished the elimination round with a clean slate of 6 wins.
The wards of coach Jordan Paca hopes to retain the Cebu crown and advance to the national finals in Bacolod City next month. For its past matches, it has been Apple Saraun, Danika Gendrauli and Jennielou Villeguez, who took command of USPF’s offenses and the burden will still be on their shoulders today.
Apart from the Cebu crown, USPF is also seeking to avenge its finish in the nationals last year, where they only ended runner up.
Today, USPF is tipped to win against ANS, whom it clobbered in the elimination round in two sets.
Pajo team of Fr. Rolando Manayon, entered the semis as the second best team with a record of 5 wins and 1 loss. Manayon will be banking on his top scorer Athena Sucalit, whose claim to fame started in last year’s Governor’s Cup, when she played with Catmon. During that time, Sucalit was eyed by different university coa-ches including USJR’s Grace Antigua. However, she was still 13 then.
USC, meanwhile, hopes to shrug off its ugly brush with disaster in this tournament, in the hope of snagging a slot to the finals.
Owing to having young players, USC coach Norvie Labuga had bowed down to second rate teams in this tournament, which almost had them disqualified. Luckily, the squad managed to get their acts together last Sunday, when they won over Don Gerardo. Had they lost, USC could have bid the tournament goodbye. (MCB)
