Two USPF spikers try to save the ball in their match against USJ-R yesterday in the 2016 Cesafi boy’s volleyball tournament at the USC Main Gym. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
Last year’s losing finalists University of San Carlos (USC) Baby Warriors and the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers forged a title showdown after they downed separate foes in the CESAFI boy’s volleyball semifinals yesterday at the USC Main gym.
The Baby Panthers pulled off the biggest win of the afternoon as they eliminated the defending champions University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Baby Jaguars via a 25-22, 25-21 decision. USJ-R was all over USPF from the outset and took an early 14-6 lead.
The Jaguars, however, slowed down and the Baby Panthers were quick to pounce on as they detonated a 19-8 bomb to take the opening set.
The Panthers didn’t let up from that point on to complete by far the team’s biggest win of the season.
Scoring their own big win was the home squad USC, which came alive in the endgame to crush the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters, 27-25, 25-22, to seal its return trip to the finals. USC and USPF occupied the number one spot in the standings after the single round-robin semifinals with a 2-0 (win-loss) slates.
Battling for third place are USJ-R and UC, which ended the semifinals with identical 0-2 records. In the girl’s division, USC ended the elimination round on a high by destroying the winless Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons 25-5, 25-17.