The SJI High School Varsity ruled over Team 70s/80s in three straight sets, 25-15, 25-21, 25-21 in the ongoing 2nd SJI Alumni Volleybelles Friendship Cup played at the Msgr. John B. Liu Activities Center.
BACOLOD. SJI coach Peter Yusay poses with his team. (Contributed photo)
The Varsity aggressiveness at the net with the combined spiking attacks of sisters Kim and Camille Gequillana kept Team 70s/80s at bay 18-12 even as Jessica Plana and Hera Mirano's smashes and Ione Cornejo's tip-ins connecting for Team 70s/80s.
Plana had connected 2 spiking attacks, but the team's errors compounded their rally while the Varsity continue to sour after they made 2 services through Nadine Severino as Kim and Sy made their smash attacks. A service ace by Sy that hit the net and rolled into the 70/80s court was the winning point of the set.
In the 2nd set, Team 70s/80s took a 5-2 lead behind Liza Calangan tip-ins and a Plana block and a service winner. The Varsity countered with Camille Gequillana making 2 kills while Samantha Araneta tosser made 2 well-placed return near the net to tie the game at 6-all. Meanwhile, an 11-5 run by the Varsity on Kim Gequillana service winners, Sy pinpoint spiking at 70s/80s openings including a Shieva Canuday tip in had put the Varsity on top at 17-11.
Team 70s/80s kept its composure as it scored 5 straight pts. to cut the lead and brought them a point away 17-16. A Kim Gequillana service winner and Sy spike further pushed the Varsity on a 21-17 advantage.
On the other hand, Sy committed back to back spiking errors that allowed the 70s/80s to draw closer at 21-19, but Sy came back with a spike as Camille Gequillana made as service winner while 70s/80s committed miscommunication during reception that put the Varsity on the brink of victory, 24-19. However, Varsity made another back to back smashing errors but Araneta bailed out the varsity with a well placed tip-in to secure the 2nd set clinch.
It was a game of runs in the 3rd set as it started out similar with the 2nd set when Team 70s/80s taking a 5-2 service winners courtesy of Hera Mirano and Rose Araneta alongside a Plana block however Camille Gequllana spikes and tip-ins against a Plana reception rallied the Varsity to a 6-all tie .The spiking errors by the 80s, while the Kim Gequillana spiking has made the score at Varsity's advantage, 9-6.
The Varsity momentarily lost control of the game as the 70s/80s racked up 7 straight pts. to grab a 13-9 lead behind the setup by tosser Causing as Lizette Tamayo made 2 kills and block as Calangan made 2 successful service aces and 2 wide spiking errors for the varsity.
The varsity revived its lethal form as they strung up 6 straight pts. coming from Sy and Kim Gequillana kills fired from the middle while Severino was holding serve for the varsity.
A Mirano and Cornejo tip-ins and spikes tied the score anew at 18-all. A Kim tip-in and a spiking winner by Sy was answered by Calangan with 2 spikes to put the game at standoff 20-all.
But The Varsity find its groove as they step up their offense as its 3 main spikers Sy, Kim and Camille Gequillana delivered spiking winners one after the other to take a 23-20 lead. A Calangan smash proved to be the last pt. for the 70s/80s as Camille Gequillana finished the set with a spiking winner.
In an exhibition game the SJI high school Varsity boys scored a come from behind, 14-25, 25-20, 21-25, 25-23, 15-11 victory over SJI Alumni reinforced by coaches and guest players. (with Stephen Tan)