National Capital Region, SLU dispute Shakey’s Girls V-League crown

MANILA, Philippines – National Capital Region and Southern Luzon thwarted their respective rivals and came away with a pair of straight-set victories yesterday to seal a showdown for the Shakey’s Girls’ Volleyball League Season 13 national crown at the Cuneta Astrodome.

The Big City bets got back at last year’s finals tormentor Western Visayas with a 25-22, 25-19 victory while Southern Luzon, represented by the De La Salle-Lipa spikers, held off Southern Mindanao, 25-22, 25-23, in the Final Four of the league sponsored by long-time volleyball patron Shakey’s.

Southern Luzon, which stunned NCR in a dramatic decider, 25-22, 23-25, 32-30, last Tuesday, and the host team were disputing the championship at presstime.

NCR, represented by regional champion National U, clobbered Central Visayas, 25-16, 25-17, to finish second to Southern Luzon in Pool B with a 2-1 card. Southern Luzon took the top spot with a 3-0 slate.

Western Visayas, composed of Central Philippine U players, also defeated tbe Davao City National High side of Southern Mindanao, 25-15, 25-10, to gain the top seeding in Pool A via sweep with Southern Mindanao, composed of Davao City National High School players, settling for second with a 2-1 mark.

Eastern Visayas finished third in Pool A with a 1-2 record after a tough 25-23, 19-25, 26-24 victory over Northern Luzon while Central Visayas swept Northern Mindanao, 25-17, 25-19, to place third in Pool B of the event organized by Metro Sports headed by Freddie Infante and backed by Asics, Mikasa and My Phone.

In the crossover semis, the Lady Bullpups of NCR, starring Faith Nisperos, Jasmine Nabor, Thea Gagate and setter Joyme Cagande, took control early then held off the Western Visayas’ crew headed by Princess Ann Robles, Claudine Troncoso and Julie Ann Robles’ rallies to pound out the straight-set victory.

Southern Luzon, bannered by Jamel Maraguinot, Jewel Encarnacion and Justine Jazareno, sustained its top form coming off the elims but needed to toughen up in the stretch to likewise complete a sweep over the Southern Mindanao bets composed of Lycha Ebon, Georgie Loreto and Thea Borres.