Defending champions SWU, USJ-R victorious

Nathalie Gimeno of the SWU Lady Cobras tears the defense put up by a lone blocker from the USJ-R Lady Jaguars during their game at the start of the 2017 Cesafi women’s volleyball tournament at the USPF gym in Lahug.
(CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

The Southwestern University (SWU) Lady Cobras have a stern warning to their challengers this year – the Cesafi women’s volleyball defending champions are bent on retaining their crown.

And what better way to underscore their intentions than by routing their arch-rivals and last year’s losing finalist the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R), 25-17, 25-22, 25-18 at yesterday’s start of the Cesafi women’s volleyball tournament at the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) gym.

After easily taking the opening set by eight points, the Lady Cobras’ mettle was tested in the second as they found themselves down by eight, 22-14.

However, the Lady Cobras kept the Lady Jaguars scoreless the rest of the set while unloading a deafening, 11-0 bomb highlighted by three straight hits from reigning Cesafi best attacker Janelle Cabahug for a commanding 2-0 lead.

“My players relaxed because we won the first set but their eagerness and willingness to win was really present so why can we not win?” said SWU head coach Roy Ulan.

It was from there that the Lady Cobras regained their groove as they took a, 17-13 lead late in the third before unleashing an 8-5 run to close out the game and totally dominate the Lady Jaguars.

Next up for the Lady Cobras will be the Cebu Doctors University (CDU) Lady Stallions on September 10 while the Lady Jaguars will have little time to rest as they take on the home squad, USPF Lady Panthers at 10 a.m. today.

In the men’s division, the defending champions USJ-R Spiking Jaguars overcame an opening set hiccup and eked out a, 23-25, 25-16, 27-25, 25-20 triumph over harf-fighting University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors.

In girls action, the reigning champions Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu opened their season on a high note with a, 25-8, 25-21 spanking of CDU while the University of Cebu crushed USC, 25-17, 25-21.