In a championship series that has become predictably unpredictable, only one thing is certain: a new champion will be crowned this afternoon in the F2 Logistics Cesafi girls volleyball tournament.
The University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) and the Southwestern University (SWU)–Phinma face off for the last time this season as they battle for all the marbles at the University of San Carlos (USC) Main gym.
The highly-anticipated epic decider is scheduled at 1:30 p.m. with the Baby Panthers looking to end a six-year title drought and the Baby Cobras gunning for only their second crown in league history.
Last weekend, the Baby Cobras drew first blood by taking Game 1 via an 18-25, 25-21, 25-22, 12-25, 15-9 triumph before USPF evened the series with a, 25-23, 25-14, 25-20 rout last Sunday.
Now, as the girls’ season reaches a dramatic climax, both USPF and SWU-Phinma know that the challenge ahead is full of twists and turns and the one who’s fast enough to adopt to the dramatic reversals will end up with the coveted trophy above its head.
“I think we have to improve our ground defense and their confidence inside the court so that they can move freely and become more aggressive,” said SWU-Phinma head coach Roy Ulan.
Meanwhile, Baby Panthers mentor Yolanda Rizarri is counting on the team’s chemistry inside the court to be able to complete a phenomenal comeback after dropping Game 1.
“Communication among teammates inside the court and focus in the game,” said Rizarri when asked on what the team should improve in the decider.
Both SWU–Phinma and USPF have gone through hellacious paths to reach this point, and it’s safe to say that they both deserve to win the championship.
Unfortunately, once the final whistle blows, only one will end up victorious and own a coveted spot among the league’s distinguished champions while the other will be left to lick the wounds of a failed title bid.