USPF’s Ian Kim Jumandos attacks the USC defense in Game 2 of the Cesafi high school volleyball finals at the USPF gym.
CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON
USJ-R, USC forge rubbermatch in Cesafi high school volleyball finals
Facing a do-or-die game in the Cesafi girls’ volleyball finals, University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) head coach Roldan Potot asked members of his team what they really wanted to achieve.
Victory was what they replied.
“They want the championship title,” Potot said of his wards, who chalked up an all-important 25-18, 19-25, 15-25, 25-16, 16-14 victory over the defending champions University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers in Game 2 of the best-of-three finals yesterday at the USPF gym in Lahug, Cebu City.
The win meant that USJ-R has a chance to achieve its goal of winning the championship, forcing a deciding Game 3 to be played this Sunday, November 11, at the same venue.
This is the same situation the defending boys’ champion University of San Carlos put itself in after defeating USPF, 23-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-22, in Game 2 of the finals.
USC head coach Jonrey Sasing said that conditioning played a crucial role in the team’s success so far.
“Even during the holidays, we train just to [make sure we] protect our title,” Sasing said. “I observed that USPF became exhausted during the third and fourth sets, so I guess the training really paid off.”
Asked what his team needs to complete the title defense, Sasing said avoiding unforced errors would be one important factor.
The boys’ finals will be on November 10, Saturday, at the same venue.