USJ-R volleybelles celebrate after scoring a point against USC in a Cesafi women’s volleyball semifinal game at the USPF gym. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Under the leadership of a new coach, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Lady Jaguars made their way back to the championship round of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) women’s volleyball tournament.
The top-ranked Lady Jaguars formalized their entry to the finals following a masterful 25-20, 25-16, 21-25, 25-22 win over the defending champion University of San Carlos (USC) Lady Warriors on Saturday morning, November 16, 2019, at the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) gym.
USJ-R will be facing Southwestern University (SWU)-Phinma in the finals after the Lady Cobras scored a 23-25, 27-25, 25-18, 25-20 victory over USPF in the other semis game on Saturday.
Chyne Mae Saberon attacks the USPF defense in a semifinal game in the Cesafi women’s volleyball tournament. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
“We feel overwhelmed because we really prepared for this,” said USJ-R’s Maybelle Cabaron, who rocked the USC defense with her powerful spikes.
The Jaguars lost to the Warriors in last year’s finals when the team was still under coach Norvie Labuga. This year, Michael Simbajon took over the coaching chores from Labuga.
Lady Jaguar Daniella Alfeche, who was very emotional after that loss to USC in the finals last year, said this win was huge for the team.
“We’ve been dreaming about this, that we’ll make it back to the championship again,” she said. “We really felt the sense of fulfilment as a team because we really prepared hard for this.”
Cabaron said that one thing their coaches always remind them were the “Three Fs”.
“Coach always tells us to have fun, feel free to score and focus,” Cabaron said in her post-game interview with CDN Digital.
Watch the post-game interview with Cabaron and Alfeche here:
Meanwhile, SWU-Phinma had to wait for some tense moments after the win before claiming the last spot in the finals.
This is because the Lady Cobras and the Lady Warriors had to break a tie in the single round robin semifinals for finishing with identical records, even in sets won.
According to USC coach Grace Antigua, her team lost the tie breaker against SWU-Phinma by just a point, giving the last finals spot to the Lady Cobras.
This means that the Lady Warriors won’t be able to reclaim the title it won last year against the Lady Jaguars.
SWU-Phinma setter Mary Rosyll Roncal said the win was huge for the team.
“This is really what we prepared for because this was a do-or-die game for us,” said Roncal, whose brother is also a member of the SWU-Phinma men’s basketball team.
“I am so delighted with the determination and the teamwork showed by my teammates,” added teammate Chyne Mae Saberon.
Here’s a post-game interview of SWU-Phinma’s Chyne Mae Saberon and Mary Rosyll Roncal:
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