Monday, December 03, 2007 USC spiking Warriors top cluster, move to semis
DEFENDING men’s champion University of San Carlos spiking Warriors moved to the semifinal round of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. volleyball competition on top of the bracket after salvaging the top spot with a five-set squeaker over the gritty University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) yesterday at the USPF gym.
USC survived USP, 25-18, 25-17, 24-26, 27-25, 15-11, to top bracket A in the competition and arranged a semifinal showdown with bracket B second seeded team University of the Visayas, which lost to University of San Jose Recoletos yesterday.
Performance
Displaying the air of champions and too much confidence, the USC squad started off strongly as it won the first two sets. But USPF, egged on by university official Rolly Villa, who was watching from the sidelines, clawed back on track as it won the next two sets to force a deciding set.
“If only I could buy IQ for them I would. We could have finished the game sooner,” said a frustrated Eugene dela Cerna, who is USC’s team consultant.
Dela Cerna, however, admitted that Kenneth Bensig, a college freshman, stood out among his wards. “He showed potential and really helped out the team,” dela Cerna added.
After pulling out easy wins in the first two sets, USC just fizzled and dropped the two succeeding sets, 24-26 and 27-25, with USPF’S charge spearheaded by James Rivera.
Succession
In the fourth set, USC was able to hold off USPF, at set point, 24-19. Carlo Tecson scored a point, followed by four straight points by captain Roderick Arenasa to tie the game at 25-all and forcing for a tie-breaker.
As Arenasa started the recovery, it was also through his blundered block that USPF go the go-ahead point, 25-24.
Bensig once more pulled off the equalizer, 25-all, but a reception error from Tecson and another by Arenasa gave the set away to USPF.
USC, however, was able to regroup with USPF committing costly errors in the onset of the final set as the Warriors jumped to a 3-0 lead. USC never looked back and closed the set, 15-11.
The other semis game, on the other hand, was a complete opposite USC-USPF clash as the powerhouse USJ-R squad of coach Grace Antigua sailed to an easy 25-18, 25-18, 25-23 win over UV behind the exceptional performances of Jessriel Pino, Jackie Irog-Yrog and Ken Abunda.
With the win, USJ-R also topped the bracket and will be facing second seed USPF in next weekend’s crossover semifinals.
In the distaff side, Southwestern University got a new lease in life after winning over UV, 25-9, 20-25, 25-14, 26-24. It entered the semis at second place and faces a gargantuan task against bracket leader, USPF, which gained the top spot after defeating University of Cebu, 25-18, 25-16, 25-14.
Deluge
In the game, coach Janeth Ponte said they dropped their second set when UV started barraging their back court with thunderous spikes. Strong spiker Elizabeth Emnace, freshman Lorie Mae Layno and Aureen Pero made the necessary changes to keep SWU’s bid alive.
The USC women’s team moved to the next round after crushing Cebu Doctor’s University, 16-25, 25-20, 25-12, 25-23. To remain alive, USC needs too hurdle past the defending USJ-R squad next weekend. (MCB)
