Thursday, July 19, 2007 USPF starts title hunt vs. Bacolod
THE University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) is hoping to erase the stigma of being a runner-up when it plunges into action of the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball League national championships today in Bacolod City.
USPF head coach Jordan Paca, whose team finished second to last year’s champion Far Eastern University, felt their chances of winning the national crown just got bigger after their slayer and erstwhile champion was booted by Hope Christian School (HCS) in the Luzon finals.
“I think that they (HCS) are a much easier opponent (than FEU),” said Paca, who arrived in Bacolod yesterday morning together with his team.
This, however, still remains to be seen. USPF, despite being seeded in the competition, will still have a tall order to face especially with its first assignment today, when it is pitted against Bacolod qualifier University of St. La Salle (USLS).
USLS is powered by some members of the national youth team. Manning USLS’ offensive are RP team spikers Dancel Dusaran and Kay Zaldariaga. It will get the needed help from Christine Caro, who is the RP team libero.
Power spikes
Paca said he will be banking on the players who had the biggest contribution in the Cebu championships against Pajo National High School. The force of USPF is anchored on the power of Danika Gendrauli’s strong spikes and Charrylou Wave Paden’s crowd-pleasing jump serves.
Paca will also have Apple Saraun, Kaisse delos Santos and 13-year-old stalwart Jinky Garridos to lean on in the quest for the title.
The other team that USPF needs to tackle is Central Philippine University (CPU), which is the champion of Iloilo City.
The competition will adopt a round robin system. USPF will play in the curtain raiser against Bacolod at 10:30 after the 9:30 opening. USPF will play again in the last game against HCS after the USLS vs. CPU match at 3 p.m. When the rankings are determined after tomorrow’s games, the cross over semifinals follows on Saturday before the finals on Sunday.
Aside from the national title, the tournament also stakes individual awards for the best libero, setter, spiker, and blocker. (MCB)
