Cesafi: Jaguars claw Warriors, take game one of men’s volleyball finals 

The USJ-R Jaguars men’s volleyball team poses for a group photo after winning Game 1 of their Best-of-Three finals series versus the USC Warriors. | Glendale Rosal

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars showed their fangs in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) Best-of-Three men’s volleyball finals’ Game 1 on Sunday, January 28, 2024. 

This was after they defeated the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors at the latter’s home court at the USC Main Campus gymnasium. 

READ: Cesafi: USC wins game one over USPF in women’s volleyball finals

Cesafi: USC outplayed in 3 sets

They outplayed the Warriors in three sets, 25-20, 25-16, and 25-16, to move a step closer to winning the Cesafi men’s volleyball title. 

The Jaguars of multi-titled head coach Roldan Potot started off hot in the opening set, leading as many as eight points, 19-11, banking on their relentless attacks and ace serves courtesy of Erico Blaza. They went on leading by as many as nine points to win the first set. 

They started off the second set with a blistering 14-6 lead, with Blaza and Ryan Enojo orchestrating the attacks, while their blockers also worked magnificently with their defense.

READ: Cesafi Volleyball: Old rivals, USPF, USC lock horns in women’s finals

2nd and 3rd sets

They duplicated their first set lead worth nine points, 22-13, en route to winning it. 

In the third set, USC showed signs of life from their struggling match after tying the scores at 7-all. 

However, Enojo quickly snapped the deadlock with a block to give USJ-R the lead.

Enojo’s defensive stop triggered a 7-2 scoring run, with him leading the offense to come up with a six-point lead, 15-9. 

The Jaguars maintained their huge lead all the way to winning the set. 

READ: SHS-AdC’s Perez officially commits to UP women’s volleyball team

USC chance to tie series

The Warriors of head coach Grace Antigua still has a chance to tie the series on February 3, 2024, at the same venue. 

In the battle for third 2022 season champions, the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats beat the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters, 25-23, 26-24, and 25-20, in the men’s division.

In the women’s division battle-for-third, former champions, the USJ-R Lady Jaguars won over the CIT-U Lady Wildcats, 25-15, 18-25, 22-25, 25-15, and 15-10.

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