TOP seeds Southwestern University (SWU) and University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) remain at the summit of the women's division after winning their semifinal openers of the volleyball tournament in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) yesterday at the University of San Carlos (USC) Gym.
Defending women's division champion SWU lived up to its billing and defeated No. 4-ranked University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF), 25-20, 25-15, 16-25, 25-23.
SWU bagged the first two sets but USPF wouldn't go away without a fight and took the third set, 25-16.
SWU worked hard to win the fourth set, 25-23, against a determined USPF side.
USJ-R, on the other hand, defeated home team USC, 25-20, 19-25, 25-22, 25-15, in the other semifinal match-up.
It was a neck-and-neck battle in the opening set but back-to-back spikes from Paula Marie Maninang and Jackie Lou Singson sealed it for USJ-R, 25-20.
Just like the first one, the second set was also nip-and-tuck. But a 6-0 run by USC, led by hard-hitting Hovelita Dela Silva and Mary Jane Igao gave USC a 19-12 cushion. USJ-R closed in, following errors and miscues by USC.
But Debbie Mae Gamboa won the second set for USC, 25-19, after scoring the last two points.
USJ-R once again found themselves in a close battle with USC in the third set. The teams were tied 21-21 but USJ-R outlasted USC with a spike by Francess Macasero and another by Singson to steal it 25-22.
The momentum was on USJ-R's side going into the fourth set and they came out strong leading 12-5 early on. USC, however, refused to concede and fought back hard to tie the set at 14-14. But USJ-R answered with a 9-0 run to take a commanding 23-14 lead.
Plus 3
USJ-R conceded a point but scored three straight with Linlyn Torado hitting the clincher, 25-15.
The semifinal round of the women's division follows a round robin set-up. SWU faces USC, while USJ-R takes on USPF this coming Saturday.
Meanwhile, SWU also beat USPF in the girls division, 25-13, 24-26, 25-12.
USJ-R also won against USC in the girls division in three closely-contested sets, 17-25, 26-24 and 25-23.
In the other girls division match, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) swept University of Cebu (UC) in two sets, 26-24, 25-16.
USJ-R also got a win in the Boys division with two-set sweep over SHS-AdC – 25-7 and 25-10.