Lady Patriots snare volley crown

DASMARIÑAS , Philippines  – Pangasinense spiker Jennifer Manzano whipped up a storm as she and two other teammates powered the La Salle-Dasmariñas Lady Patriots to their seventh women’s crown in the 17th National Capital Region Athletic Association volleyball tournament last Thursday.

The 5-11 Manzano made her presence felt as the Lady Patriots snagged three crucial points and escaped with a 16-25, 25-23, 20-25, 25-20, 15-13 win over the defending champion Rizal Technological University Lady Thunder at the Animo Center gymnasium of the DLSU-Dasmariñas Health and Sciences Campus here.

It was the Lady Patriots’ seventh crown, snatching back the title they lost to the Lady Thunder last year in this tournament supported by Molten and Mikasa balls.

The Lady Patriots extended their best-of-three duel to a deciding Game 3 after they bounced back in the second game with a 26-24, 22-25,25-21, 25-21 victory over the RTU Lady Thunder last week.

Manzano, named the league’s MVP, first forced a 13-all deadlock when she and Regina Tungol blocked a return spike by Ferus Agang.

Agang, one of RTU’s fearsome offensive specialists, then tried to force another deadlock, but Manzano got in the way at the right side with help from Wensh Tiu, as the Cavite-based spikers moved ahead by a point.

A drop shot from Manzano sailed past defenders Marishelle Tagudin and Claire Cagampang, enabling the Lady Patriots to deny RTU a chance to claim back-to-back titles at the end of their two-hour and 52-minute showdown.

The Lady Thunder were ahead after three sets, 2-1, when lanky April Almaden stepped up in the fourth, scoring three big points on her smashes.