City Olympics volleyball sweep USPF looking to bolster teams for CVIRAA

USPF’s boys and girls volleyball teams show off the medals they won for topping the Cebu City Olympics competition.
Lito Tecson

After sweeping the secondary volleyball crowns in the 2018 Cebu City Olympics yesterday, the University of the Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) boys’ and girls’ teams are now eyeing to strengthen their squads for the next challenge, which is the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) meet to be held in Dumaguete in February 2019.

USPF beat the Abellana National School (ANS), 25-15, 25-12, 25-8, to take the girls’ crown while its boys’ squad defeated the University of San Jose- Recoletos (USJ-R) Baby Jaguars, 25-20, 26-24, 25-17.

Winners in the City Olympics gain the right to represent Cebu City in the CVIRAA meet. Teams are also allowed to bolster their lineups for the CVIRAA with players from other teams.

For USPF coach Yolanda Rizarri, she believes her team has everything it needs to compete with the best of the region but she doesn’t want to take chances as she is eyeing to top the regionals to book a seat to the Palarong Pambansa.

Rizarri said she is currently setting her sights on three more girls for the team, two from the University of San Carlos (USC) and one from St. Theresa’s College (STC).

The two from USC are Pierre Angeli Abellana and Kirsten Petancio while the one from STC is Angeli Bacalso.

Cecil Jotojot, the coach of USPF’s boys team, said he is also looking to add ceiling to his team.

He said he plans to pick up USC’s June Wilfil Yungco and Vincent Jericho Lauron, and University of San Jose-Recoletos’ Jelord Talisaman and Rico Academia Jr.

USPF’s high school volleyball program is having a great year so far, as both its boys and girls teams also ruled this year’s Cesafi high school volleyball tournament.