National University Nazareth School-B overcame a hard-fighting University of Batangas High School, 33-31, 25-17, 25-23, in the winner-take-all final to reign supreme in the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League (SGVIL) Rising Stars Cup Division 2 on Friday, May 1, at the La Salle Green Hills Gym.
The Lady Bullpups displayed nerves of steel in staving off the feisty Junior Lady Brahmans in the extended first set before dominating the next two frames for their breakthrough crown.
Keera Talabut scored 14 points on 13 kills and an ace to lead NUNS-B to a perfect 8-0 sweep of the competition backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner, and R and B Milk Tea.
“Naging calm and composed lang kami kasi yun ang uunahin namin sa lahat. Inalis namin yung pressure and outside noise. Pinusuan po namin yung (first) set na yun ang pinaghirapan namin yun kaya naging dominant na kami sa mga sumunod na sets,” Talabut said.
Ellaine Tayag posted 11 of her 12 markers from kills while Jheiza Giducos finished with 12 points, including the championship-winning kill block, for the Lady Bullpups.
NUNS-B had a late scare in the third set after UB saved two match points to close in, 24-23, following a Larra Recinto kill. Giducos quelled the Junior Lady Brahmans’ uprising with a defensive gem at the net to seal the one-hour, 56-minute encounter.
“Actually, naging challenging siya kasi maraming mga bata. Thankful ako kay coach Karl (Dimaculangan) kasi binibigyan niya kami ng pointers kung paano gumawa ng program,” Lady Bullpups coach Kenan Quitco said.
“Sobrang hardworking ng mga players. Dun kami very proud na talagang tinatrabaho nila kung anuman ang ini-improve nila and ini-embrace nila ang system na ini-implement namin.”
NUNS-B squandered six setpoint advantages and even needed to save three setpoints before snatching the opening frame. Khaira Manzano tied the set one last time at 30 before a Talabut crosscourt kill and an error by UB gave the Lady Bullpups the set.
Recinto led the Junior Lady Brahmans with 11 points while Bea Butardo had nine markers. Andrea Gabrinao and Scarlett Escalante chipped in six each for UB, which saw its seven-game winning run snapped.
Meanwhile, last year’s Division 1 champion NUNS salvaged some measure of pride with a 25-18, 25-21, 25-18, sweep of Far Eastern University-Diliman for a bronze medal finish in the the tournament backed by Smart Sports, PusoP.com, Solar Sports Free TV, Mikasa, Asics, Eurotel, Team Rebel Sports, and Rigour Technology as technical partners.
On the other hand, Bacolod Tay Tung took bronze in Division 2 after beating Corpus Christi School, 25-15, 25-21, 18-25, 25-20.
In the Division 2 classification round, St. Jude Parish School defeated University of Santo Tomas-B, 25-15, 25-17, 22-25, 25-22, for a fifth place finish while inaugural champion Domuschola International School landed in seventh after topping host La Salle Green Hills, 25-22, 25-19, 20-25, 25-20.
King’s Montessori Immaculada Concepcion College, 25-20, 25-7, 25-13, for seventh place in Division 1.
SGVIL games are available live and on-demand via PusoP.com livestream and Solar Sports.
