CESAFI MENS VOLLEYBALL FINALS/NOV. 26, 2017. (CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO)
SWU-Phinma claims Cesafi men’s, women’s volleyball crowns
The Southwestern University (SWU)-Phinma Cobras have every reason in the world to paint the town red. Actually, they have two.
This after the Spiking Cobras and the Lady Cobras beat the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) men’s and women’s teams to take the crowns in their respective divisions in the 2017 Cesafi volleyball tournament on Sunday at the University of San Carlos gym.
While the Lady Cobras registered a 25-22, 25-18, 25-21 victory over the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) to complete a fantastic five-peat, it was the Spiking Cobras, who stole the show as they dethroned the Jaguars team that denied them the title last season with a 25-19, 23-25, 20-25, 25-15, 15-11 triumph.
Crestfallen 2-1 and in all sorts of trouble after the third set, a motivated Spiking Cobras squad came roaring back as they started the fourth set with a 15-9 lead before unleashing a 10-2 run highlighted by a strong offensive hit from Raul Consad.
“They were overconfident in the second and third sets and my setter Mark (Kevin Petancio) really struggled. So, I told him and the rest of my players to stay relaxed and just do the simple plays,” said SWU men’s mentor Dave Arreza.
And the 22-year-old Petancio answered to the challenge with style as he delivered crisp set plays in the fifth set, most notably to John Eduard Carascal, who scored the title-clinching point to give Spiking Cobras the title.
CESAFI WOMENS VOLLEYBALL FINALS/NOV. 26, 2017. (CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO)
“Our spikers were really good and as a setter, I was pressured but I made some adjustments to help the team win,” said Petancio, who happens to be the grandson of legendary mentor Thelma Datig, who once mentored national team player and now USJ-R coach Grace Antigua in college.
With his exploits, Petancio was recognized as the finals Most Valuable Player and the best setter accompanying teammates Carascal (1st middle blocker) and Consad (opposite hitter) in the mythical squad while USJR’s Kent Verbosidad and Alarich Catayoc grabbed the best outside hitter and best libero awards, respectively.
Meanwhile, special awardees in the distaff side include Therese Ramas, who bagged her second consecutive finals MVP and best setter plums joining teammates Janelle Cabahug (1st outside hitter), Dyan Darantinao (1st middle blocker) in the mythical team.
Rounding up the team were USJ-R’s Linlyn Torado (2nd outside hitter) and Jessa Jorquia (opposite hitter), University of Southern Philippines Foundation’s Valerie Tangeres (2nd middle blocker) and USC’s Cris Jezza Estose (libero).