DOWN YOU GO. USJ-R spikers scramble to save a point but fail, leading to celebration on the Ateneo de Cebu side during Game 1 of the Cesafi girls’ volleyball finals at the USC Main gym (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON).
The Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles and University of San Carlos (USC) Baby Warriors are now a step closer to finally taking home the titles they missed out last year.
This after both teams toppled their respective opponents in Game 1 of the Cesafi volleyball best-of-three finals yesterday at the USC Main gym.
The Magis Eagles swept the favored University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R), 25-15, 25-19, 25-20, in the girls’ finals while the Baby Warriors scored a hard-earned 25-16, 25-22, 17-25, 16-25, 15-13, victory over the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) in the boys’ championships.
Both USC and Ateneo de Cebu now hold 1-0 leads against their respective foes and can secure the titles with victories in Game 2 today at the same venue.
Jennifer delos Santos elevated her game and led the Magis Eagles into its first finals victory in league history.
The 15-year-old Delos Santos made her presence felt in the second set as she scored eight points, highlighted by a set-winning kill that gave the Magis Eagles a comfortable lead heading into the third.
The Jaguars tried to mount a comeback in the third as they tied the game at 20-all after back-to-back scores by Krizzia Caasi but it was just not enough as the tough defense of Ateneo de Cebu forced them into two crucial mistakes in the final stages of the set.
“Our defense was really existent. What we practiced in the past few days translated in the court,” said Magis Eagles mentor Mario Sala. “We will try to sustain this in Game 2.”
In the boys’ division, the Baby Warriors had to survive a meltdown in the third and fourth sets before hacking out the win against the Panthers.
The Baby Warriors looked headed for a sweep after taking a 2-0 lead but the Panthers clawed back to win the next two and force a deciding set.
USC threatened to pull away late in the final set but the Panthers managed to tie the game at 13-all.
League MVP Gwyn Dharell Guy then took over and scored on a powerful spike to put USC in the driver’s seat. Teammate Anthony Mixdon sealed the game with a service ace.
USC lost to USJ-R in last year’s boys’ finals while Ateneo de Cebu was beaten by Southwestern University in the distaff side.