USC Lady Warriors rush to their head coach Grace Antigua to celebrate their CESAFI women’s volleyball title win. | Photo from Sugbuanong Kodaker
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The University of San Carlos (USC) Lady Warriors ended a five-year title drought by reclaiming the CESAFI Women’s Volleyball Championship, defeating the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Lady Panthers on Sunday, December 22, at the USC Downtown Gymnasium.
The victory marked the Lady Warriors’ return to volleyball glory after having last lifted the CESAFI trophy in 2018. The triumph was particularly sweet as they avenged their heartbreaking finals loss to USPF last February.
Under the leadership of seasoned head coach Grace Antigua, the Lady Warriors showcased grit and determination to overcome the defending champions in a hard-fought four-set battle, 25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 25-17.
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The Lady Warriors stormed to an early advantage, taking the first two sets.
However, USPF, led by team captain Ressel Pedroza and key players Angel Ybañez and Mae Christelle Libayao, showed their championship mettle in the third set. They built a commanding 18-11 lead, forcing USC to play catch-up.
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REDEMPTION
USC’s Angel Galinato spearheaded a valiant fightback, nearly closing the gap to 20-22, but costly miscues allowed USPF to clinch the set, with Katrina Inot sealing the set point.
In the fourth set, USC regrouped and unleashed a relentless offensive barrage, with Rose Bisnar, Gerusha Atay, and Ghanna Suan leading the charge. The Lady Warriors surged to a decisive 22-16 lead and maintained their momentum to seal the victory and the championship.
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For Coach Antigua, the win symbolized a moment of redemption after several seasons of close calls and near misses.
“I can’t describe how I feel because it’s been so many years since we last won the title, way back in 2018. Now, we’re back in winning form,” Antigua shared.
“There are still areas for improvement, but we’re very happy to have claimed the championship this season.”
Antigua credited her team’s health and resilience for their success, noting that injuries had plagued their campaign last year.
“This season, we’re blessed that everyone is healthy. That made a big difference,” she added.
The Lady Warriors are poised to defend their crown next season, with most of their roster returning. Only libero Jolly Velasquez will graduate, leaving a solid core to build on for future campaigns.