NU, Hope, La Salle Lipa, HRC battle for RVL semis seeding

MANILA, Philippines – It took four of the five days of preliminary competition to sort out the semifinals cast.

The tournament favorites Nazareth School of National University and De La Salle Lipa moved a couple of steps closer to a title showdown in the Rebisco Volleyball League.

NSNU, which hopes to annex two major girls volleyball titles within the next week or so (the UAAP girls championship included), flexed their muscles and talent from the get go and crushed Koronodal National Comprehensive High School, 25-11 and 25-14, behind Faith Nisperos’ seven points.

The win gave NSNU a 4-0 slate in Pool A. But keeping in step with NU is a surprising Hope Christian High School side, which swept luckless Holy Family Academy, 25-18 and 25-17. Mycah Go led HCHS with 10 points.

The two teams part ways Saturday.

KNCHS dropped to 1-3 while HFA is the only winless team in the bracket with a 0-4 record.

Over at Pool B, DLSL had a tougher time fending off Bacolod Tay Tung High School, which after a 2-0 start has lost its last two effectively knocking them out of the semifinal race.

Mirgie Bautista top scored for Lipa with 12 points while Alleiah Malaluan added 11.

Hometown favorite Holy Rosary College likewise stayed in step with DLSL with a two-set sweep of FEU, 25-19 and 25-23. Aliah Marce led HRC with nine points.

“It was a close match for us, but I do not mind because it helps the girls’ nerves and confidence,” said HRC head coach Lerma Giron.

Both DLSL and HRC battle for the top spot of Pool B.

It will be an interesting battle for all four undefeated squads. While NSNU and DLSL are the two pre-tourney favorites, Hope Christian High School and Holy Rosary College are the underdogs. A win by the favorites means that the latest they will meet is in the finals.

HRC takes on DLSL at 3 p.m. followed by the NSNU-HCHS match at 4 p.m.

“We know that Holy Rosary will have the hometown support so it is important for us to keep them off balance,” said Lipa head coach Ronwald Dimaculangan. “We saw how resilient HRC is during their game against Bacolod. So kailangan mas masipag kami if we want to win.