By Jean Malanum
MANILA – After their success in Season 87 of UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines) in December last year and the Ilocos Norte Palarong Pambansa in May, National University Nazareth School (NUNS) ruled the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League (SGVIL) Rising Stars Cup Division 1 title on Saturday.
The Lady Bullpups maintained their high morale to claim the championship after two fruitless campaigns in the SGVIL, the country’s biggest grassroots volleyball league.
Led by tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP) Samantha Cantada, the Lady Bullpups triumphed over the Bacolod Tay Tung High School Thunderbolts in a five-set thriller, 27-25, 16-25, 21-25, 30-28, 15-13, at La Salle Green Hills in Mandaluyong City.
NUNS coach Karl Dimaculangan acknowledged the significance of the win, especially for his graduating players.
“Mas sweeter siya kasi ilan sa players namin graduating. Thankful ako sa kanila na nag-exit sila na champion (This is sweeter because some of them are graduating. I am thankful that they exited as champions),” he said.
The crucial fifth set was a battle of nerves, with the Thunderbolts committing back-to-back errors.
“Isang factor ay ‘yung pagod na rin. For almost two weeks same with Tay Tung, na two weeks dire-diretso ang games, talagang ‘yung puso na lang ng mga players ang lumabas para manalo (One factor is that they’re also tired. For almost two weeks same as Tay Tung, they played two weeks straight, really only the heart of the players came out to win,” Dimaculangan said in Saturday’s post-matcb interview.
Other individual awardees included Tay Tung’s Rhose Almendralejo (Best Outside Hitter), Amor Bartolome (Best Middle Blocker), Rhea Tomas (Best Libero), Jan Rose Bulak (Best Setter), and NUNS’ Harlyn Serneche (Best Opposite Hitter).
The SGVIL featured a record 30 teams from Metro Manila and other regions, including 10 in Division 2. It was organized by Athletic Events and Sports Management, Inc. (ACES).
“What started in 2023 as a modest GVIL family of 16 girls’ high school teams, has blossomed into the 30-team GVIL community,” ACES chair Philip Ella Juico said.
“To the credit of Shakey’s vision and in the spirit of its launching the first ever and pioneering Shakey’s school-based women’s volleyball league more than two decades ago, SPAVI (Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures Inc) approved the concept of a girls nation-wide girls high school invitational league which I had, modesty aside, the distinct honor of proposing,” added the former chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission.
Meanwhile, Domuschola International School (DIS) bagged the Division 2 title after beating Everest International Academy, 25-11, 26-24, 25-17.
DIS standout Naihma Banal won the MVP and Best Middle Blocker awards while teammate Micaela Pingris was named Best Opposite Spiker.
Pingris is the daughter of former Philippine Basketball Association and national player Marc Pingris.
The other awardees were Everest’s Wrean Ng (best setter), and Immaculate Conception Academy’s Andreanne Tsai (best outside spiker) and Jania Legaspi (best libero). (PNA)
