Cesafi girls volleyball: ‘Determined’ USPF wins back-to-back titles
The members of the USPF girls high school volleyball team with Cesafi commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy (third from right) after the awarding ceremony.
CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON
Despite all the scheduling problems they encountered this year, the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) still came out on top, bagging the Cesafi girls’ volleyball title on Sunday night in front of a packed USPF gym in Lahug, Cebu City.
The Baby Panthers won back-to-back crowns after defeating the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R), 25-16, 24-26, 25-23, 25-21, in Game 3 of their best-of-three finals series.
According to USPF head coach Yolanda Rizarri, determination played a key role in the team’s success this year.
“We encountered a lot of conflicts with the school schedules and training all throughout this season, but that didn’t seem to be a hindrance for us,” Rizarri said. “It was their willingness and determination that made this possible.”
With the win, USPF went on to sweep the Cesafi high school volleyball crowns as its boys squad also secured the title on Saturday with a win against University of San Carlos in their own rubbermatch.
Asked how her team handled the conflicts of schedule this season, Rizarri said it all boiled down to compromise.
“I told my players to give their all every day and they always did. Especially today,” she said.
Adding icing to the cake was the winning of the Most Valuable Player award by USPF’s Mitzie Panangin.
“I am happy with the awards I got but I would not have won these if not for my teammates, our coaches, the school and the supporters,” said Panangin, who also bagged the Best Middle Blocker award. “Because of them, I was uplifted to do my best.”
Last year, the 16-year-old Panangin also won the Best Outside Hitter plum.
Other individual awards were won by Krisha Caasi of USJ-R and Tricia Cortes of USPF, who shared this year’s Best Outside Attacker award.
The Best Middle Blocker was won by USJ-R’s Chennie Tagaod.
The Best Opposite Attacker, Best Setter and Best Libero were given to USPF’s Vanessa Miñoza, Jamela Gayo and Maria Gloria, respectively.
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