USJ-R’s Louneth Marie Abangan during the Shakey’s Super League women’s post-match interview. | Screen grab from Shakey’s Super League Twitter video
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The reigning Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) women’s volleyball champion, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Lady Jaguars opened their campaign in the 2023 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) National Invitationals on a high note on Saturday, July 29, 2023.
This was after the Lady Jaguars edged the De La Salle University (DLSU) Dasmarinas on the first day of hostilities under Pool B at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan, Metro Manila.
The USJ-R Lady Jaguars won three straight sets, 25-20, 25-18, and 25-18, to advance in the quarterfinals.
Abangan of USJ-R Lady Jaguars
The reigning Cesafi women’s volleyball “Most Valuable Player” Louneth Marie Abangan didn’t disappoint her team by leading them into victory with her 16-point outing and was named the player of the game.
“We treat every game as a championship game. Talagang every game importante po talaga sa amin. So bale yung win namin today, one win lang sa bracket, pero papasok na kami sa quarterfinals. Thankful po kami na nakapasok kami sa ngayon. Sana na prove namin lahat sa mga taga Cebu na worth it po kami talaga yung pag champion namin,” said Abangan.
(We treat every game as a championship game. It’s really every game is important for us. So our win today, it’s just one win in the bracket, but we are now in the quarterfinals. We are thankful that we entered the quarterfinals. We hope that we can prove that those from Cebu, we are worth if we become champions.)
READ: Lady Jaguars barge into finals after beating Lady Warriors in a five-set thriller
Teammates score too
Her teammate Christle Dawn Tamayo added 10 points, while Alyssa Emboy scored seven points for the Lady Jaguars of head coach Roldan Potot.
Meanwhile, Shaira Joi Pamero led DLSU-Dasmarinas with five points, while Joe Angeline Serrato and Johnna Del Rosario each scored four points in their losing efforts.
Their next match is tomorrow, Sunday, July 30, versus the heavily-favored University of Santo Tomas (UST) Lady Tigers at 4:00 PM.
READ: PH men’s volleyball team to participate in Asian Games; no women’s team
USP-F Lady Panthers
Meanwhile, the other Cesafi-member team vying in the tournament, the University of Southern Philippines-Foundation (USP-F) Lady Panthers of head coach Yolly Rizzari will debut in tomorrow’s games. They will go up against the University of Perpetual Help System Delta at 12 noon under Pool A.
In the other matches on Saturday, the UAAP reigning champions, the De La Salle University Lady Spikers Perpetual Help, 25-11, 25-17, 25-12.
Meanwhile, Enderun Colleges beat Notre Dame of Dadiangas University, 27-25, 25-22, 25-14, and the Adamson Lady Falcons defeated the Jose Maria College Foundation Inc. 25-17, 25-11, 25-17.