USJ-R, SWU start best-of-three titular showdown in Cesafi men’s volleyball tournament
Despite being victorious in their past two encounters, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Spiking Jaguars are still hungry for more as they face the defending champions Southwestern University (SWU) Spiking Cobras in Game 1 of the best-of-three finals series of the Cesafi men’s volleyball tournament at the University of San Carlos (USC) Main gym.
The Spiking Jaguars, who wound up third last year, weren’t among the favorites to win the title this year, losing their top offensive weapons in reigning Cesafi best attacker McCoy Rocamora and Owen Belen during the off season because of exhaustion of playing years.
But USJ-R, composed mostly of freshmen and sophomore players, proved doubters wrong as it finished third in the elimination round and went unbeaten in the semifinals. What is more impressive is that the Jaguars defeated SWU in all two of their meetings so far in this season.
Behind the leadership of veterans Alastair Gairanod, team captain Kent Verbosidad, Efren Diego and Joshua Potot, the Jaguars defeated the Cobras in the elimination round, 25-21, 25-21, 25-18, and in the semifinal round, 25-12, 21-25,14-25, 25-20, 15-12.
“It was really hard for us to adjust because we’re the only seniors left—Me, Verbosidad, Diego and Potot,” Gairanod told Cebu Daily News. “What we did was we motivated the rookies to play with us. And what made the adjusting process smoother was our bonding outside the court. We know that we have the skills so we focused more on our teamwork and communication inside.”
The 22-year-old Gairanod said that their mindset heading into today’s game is just to give everything they’ve got, knowing that they are up against a much experienced foe.
“We know that our opponents are the defending champions so there’s a big pressure.”
In the first game, USC and the University of the Visayas collide in the battle-for-third game.