10 teams vie in Shakey’s GVL NCR leg

MANILA, Philippines - Hope Christian High School banners a crack 10-team field clashing for top honors in the Shakey’s Girls’ Volleyball League Season 12 National Capital Region leg which unfolds this weekend at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

Though the Hope Christian spikers remain the top picks, the nine other squads have toughened up to fuel their respective drive for the leg crown and the berth in the Shakey’s Volleyball League of Champions, formerly the Tournament of Champions, set early next year.

University of Santo Tomas and National University, in fact, have been installed as the early contenders to crowd the Hope tossers for the leg title with a talent-laden crew and a sound volley program. Others in the fold are De La Salle-Zobel, Kings’ Montessori School, Academy of God’s Children and Grace Christian College.

Also raring to prove their worth in the Shakey’s-sponsored event, organized by Metro Sports and backed by Mikasa, Asics, Volley Prep, Nature’s Spring, Sun Star, The Freeman Newspaper, Cebu Daily News, Sun Cellular and Millenia Suites, are Angelicum College, Rizal High School and Escuela De Sophia,

Games will be played in the next three weekends, starting on Nov. 29-30, then on Dec. 6-7 before winding up on Dec. 13-14, according to Metro Sports’ Johanz Buenvenida.

The upcoming NCR leg serves as the sixth stage of the nationwide elims, long considered as the breeding ground of volley talents, where the top teams will advance to the League of Champions, to be spiced up by the participation of foreign teams from Australia, New Zealand, Bangladesh and the US.

The League of Champions will be held Jan. 11-16, 2015, also at the Ynares Sports Center.

The early finalists are Iligan City National High School, St. John’s Institute, Tagum City National High School, University of San Carlos and Holy Family Academy.

The Shakey’s GVL has produced current top players and rising stars in Alyssa Valdez, Abby Maraño, Ara Galang, Mika Reyes and Kim Fajardo, sisters Dindin and Jaja Santiago, Jessey de Leon, Ennajie Laure, Mayet Zapanta, Amanda Villanueva and Bernadette Pons.