Hope, UST sweep way to Shakey’s GVL semis

MANILA, Philippines - Hope Christian School and University of Santo Tomas sustained their top form and toppled their respective rivals to complete their sweep of their respective divisions at the close of the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball League Season 11 elims at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium over the weekend.

The HCS spikers held off the Kings’ Montessori School side, 25-16, 21-19, to gain the top seed in Pool A while the UST tossers downed the St. Scholastica’s College team, 25-10, 21-19, then repulsed the Angelicum College squad, 25-21, 25-18, to match HCS’ 4-0 output in Pool B of the two-division tournament sponsored by Shakey’s.

National University completed its fightback from a three-set loss to UST in the opener with a sweep of its last three matches, including a 25-21, 25-14 romp over MGC New Life Christian Academy to clinch the second and last semis berth in Pool B of the event organized by Metro Sports headed by president Freddie Infante.

King’s Montessori School took the other semis slot in Pool A with a 2-2 mark but will have its hands full in the semis of the event backed by Mikasa, Asics, Tune Hotel, Burlington, BioFresh, Food Health and Science Magazine.

The defending champion HCS faces NU while UST takes on King’s Montessori in the crossover Final Four with the winners disputing the crown and the lone berth in the Tournament of Champions slated early next year.

Guest teams from Australia and New Zealand will  spice up the T-of-C set Jan. 13-17 also at Ninoy Aquino Stadium, joining the other champions of the various regional eliminations.

The first qualifiers are University of San Jose-Recoletos, Central Philippine University, Leyte National High School and Angeles University Foundation, which topped their respective elims the last few weeks.

The other entries will come from the Mindanao elims Nov. 14-17 in Davao, the Northern Luzon leg Nov. 21-24 in Baguio and the Southern Luzon elims Nov. 27-30 in Imus, Cavite.