A Southwestern University (SWU) player dives to save the ball during the SWU – University of San Carlos (USC) Game 1 match in the 1015 Cesafi volleyball finals at San Carlos gym. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
The Southwestern University Cobras (SWU) moved one win away from retaining their men’s and women’s titles as they beat separate foes yesterday in Game 1 of the best-of-three championship series in the Cebu Schools Athletics Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) volleyball tournament at the USC gym.
In the women’s division, the Lady Cobras avenged their loss last week to the University of San Jose-Recoletos after dominanting the Lady Jaguars (USJ-R) 25-23, 25-14, 25-18.
After a close victory in the opening set, the Lady Cobras tightened up their defense and upped their offense in the second and third sets behind team captain Jessa Marie Jorquia to win pulling away.
An injury to USJ-R defensive ace Maria Christine Dior Vergara late in the third set pretty much sealed the game for the Lady Cobras who asserted their offensive might against a scrambling Lady Jaguars squad finishing the game behind a, 10-7 blast.
“Wala sila nagkasinabot. Wala’y communication,” said USJ-R Head Coach Grace Antigua.
It was a sweet revenge for SWU who lost to the same USJ-R squad 28-26, 22-25, 25-11, 25-21 last week.
SWU Head Coach Jordan Paca said that their extra work in training played a vital role in their victory.
“Ang amung gi practice nigawas sa duwa. Nakita sad namo unsa ang weakness nila,” said Paca.
In men’s action, the Spiking Cobras rallied from a two sets-to one deficit in beating home team the University of San Carlos Warriors (USC) in five bruising sets, 27-25, 19-25, 21-25, 26-24, 15-9.
Staring at a, 1-2 sets deficit, and with the fourth set score tied at 24-all, the Cobras turned to Rommel Pepito who unleashed a powerful spike that almost took the life out of USC defender Patrick
Tanjay giving SWU a, 25-24 lead. The Warriors then committed a costly error in the next play handing the fourth set to the Cobras.
SWU then carried it’s momentum into the fifth set putting on an offensive clinic thrashing the Warriors 15-9.
In other collegiate games, the USC Lady Warriors roared off to a, 25-20, 25-18, 25-20 triumph over the University of Southern Philippines Foundation Lady Panthers (USPF) in their battle for third.
In the high school division, the USJ-R Baby Jaguars crushed the reigning boys champions USC Baby Warriors, 25-21, 23-25, 25-23 to take a 1-0 series lead.