Epic volleyball season goes down-the-wire

A Southwestern University-Phinma spiker sneaks in a smash against the University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguars in yesterday’s Game 2 of the CESAFI men’s volleyball final at the USC gym. SWU won to force a deciding Game 3 today.
(CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO)

A season filled with dramatic twists and turns simply refuses to fold up without reaching its climax.

This afternoon, witness one, if not the most unpredictable conclusions in Cesafi collegiate volleyball finals, as the winner-take-all Game 3 unfolds starting at 1:30 p.m. at the University of San Carlos Main Gym.

The deciding match was decided after the Southwestern University (SWU)-Phinma men’s team and the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) women’s squad outlasted separate opponents in yesterday’s Game 2.

The Lady Jaguars registered undoubtedly the most notable victory of the day as they finally solved the puzzle that is the Lady Cobras, beating the latter for the first time this season, 25-23, 25-23, 25-23 to knot the women’s series at one apiece.

The victory by the Lady Jaguars also marked their first win against SWU-Phinma in indoor volleyball since October 9, 2016.

As they head into today’s deciding game, multi-titled USJ-R mentor Grace Antigua advised her players to take a good rest to have a chance of denying the Lady Cobras of a fifth consecutive title.

“Mental and physical preparation nalang gyod. Take a good rest tonight (last night), dili mulaag and we will see what happens tomorrow (today),” Antigua said.

Not to be outdone was the Spiking Cobras who survived the defending champions USJ-R Spiking Jaguars, 25-22, 25-15, 21-25, 25-19 to even the men’s finals series at 1-all.

“Actually our preparation will still be the same. But I want them to have a good preparation physically and mentally for a good outcome tomorrow (today),” said SWU men’s mentor Dave Arreza.

Game 3 in the men’s category between the Spiking Cobras and the Spiking Jaguars is scheduled at 1:30 p.m. while the battle for the crown in the women’s division between the Lady Jaguars and the Lady Cobras is slated at 3:30 pm.