HCHS spikers reach Shakey’s GVL semis

MANILA, Philippines - Hope Christian High School posted another pair of straight-set wins over Grace Christian College and Kings’ Montessori School to sweep Pool A and clinch the first semifinal berth in the NCR elims of the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball League at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig last week.

The defending champions, who beat Academy of God’s Children and De La Salle-Zobel in the first of three-weekend tournament serving as the final regional leg of the annual championship, whipped GCC, 25-13, 25-22, last Saturday and stopped Kings’ Montessori School, 25-17, 25-20, to advance to the Final Four of the Shakey’s-sponsored event set tomorrow, also at the Ynares gym.

KMS, which tripped AGC, 25-11, 25-17, last Saturday, dropped to 2-1 but remained in the hunt for the other semis slot in Pool A while De La Salle-Zobel outlasted GCC, 25-10, 24-26, 25-12, to force a three-way tie for second at 1-2 with La Salle-Zobel and AGC in joint third at 1-2. GCC is out of the race with a 0-3 card heading to Saturday’s final elims playdate.

National U and UST, on the other hand, zeroed in one the two semis seats in Pool B with the former crushing Escuela de Sophia of Caloocan, Inc., 25-17, 25-18, for a 3-0 mark, the same output posted by UST which thumped Rizal High School, 25-8, 25-16.

In other Pool B results,  Angelicum College thwarted EDS, 25-22, 25-19, while UST whipped Angelicum, 25-14, 25-15.

Meanwhile, NU and UST clash for the top spot in Pool B today as they tangle at 4 p.m. while KMS goes for the No. 2 berth against ousted GCC at 2 p.m.

La Salle-Zobel and AGC will mix it up at 3 p.m. with the winner hoping for a KMS loss to force a tie for second at 2-2 in the single round robin elims among five teams in the two-group tournament backed by Mikasa, Asics, Volley Prep, Nature’s Spring, Sun Star, The Freeman Newspaper, Cebu Daily News, Sun Cellular and Millenia Suites.