Badian spikers make history (Secure first ever Calderon Cup volleyball crown)

CEBU, Philippines — Moalboal tasted the bitterness of defeat for the first time.

It came at the worst possible moment - the championship match.

Badian gamely recovered from a first set debacle to upset the previously unbeaten Moalboal, three sets to one, and etch their names in stone as the first ever champions of the Calderon Cup Developmental League Volleyball Tournament last Sunday, May 31, at the Moalboal Sports Complex in southern Cebu.

After completing a seven-game elimination round sweep, Moalboal reaffirmed its mastery over Alcantara, 25-14, 19-25, 25-14 to punch a final ticket.

Badian, on the other hand, advanced after knocking out Dumanjug, 18-25, 25-18, 25-18.

In the gold-medal match, Moalboal got off to a blazing 25-12 start.

But Moalboal wilted in the face of a spirited fightback by Badian.

After taking the second set, 25-16, the Badian spikers went on to finish off Moalboal with thrilling wins in the third and fourth sets, 25-22, 25-21.

Athena Keith Tapia, the Most Valuable Player, fired 15 points to power Badian to the historic crown, which came with a P20,000 cash prize.

Dumanjug, meanwhile, settled for third place after beating Alcantara, 25-14, 18-25, 25-23. — (FREEMAN)