FTW Athletics spikers after Bukidnon tourney win: We’re ready to join more volleyball competitions

The FTW Athletics Cebu City women’s volleyball team holding the trophy of the 52nd Araw ng Kadingilan volleyball tournament in Bukidnon recently. | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines —The FTW Athletics Cebu City Volleyball Team looks forward to joining more tournaments after stamping its class in the 52nd Araw ng Kadingilan in Bukidnon over the weekend.

The stacked roster of the FTW Athletics-Cebu City squad ruled the invitational volleyball competition that featured the top commercial volleyball teams in Mindanao.

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Won all matches

As the lone team from the Visayas, one of the team’s leaders, former Harbor Pilot and University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Lady Jaguar Krizia Ann Talacero surprised the entire competition when they won all their scheduled matches to clinch the title.

They defeated the Iligan Spartan Elite, Cagayan de Oro, the Southern Bukidnon Volleyball Club (SVBC) Babies, and Valencia, Bukidnon in the eliminations, except for a match against the eventual second placer MBG Unli Gear Davao.

Still, they avenged their elimination round loss by beating the Davao squad when they needed it the most during the finals. 

For Talacero, it was a great experience that tested their mettle against Mindanao’s toughest women’s commercial volleyball clubs. 

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FTW support

“It was a great experience to be part of FTW-Cebu City. Unexpected kaayo ang FTW, dli mi ma buo team ug wala mig supportaan sa FTW. Grateful gyud kaayo mi nga nakaduwa mi sa FTW-Cebu City,” said Talacero. 

(It was a great experience to be part of FTW-Cebu City. The FTW is so unexpected, the team cannot be created without the support of the FTW. We are grateful that we can play for FTW-Cebu City.)

“Tough gyud kaayo kay dili sad sayun ang among kontra. Most of the teams kay mga bata pa paspas kaayo and some kay veterans pud. During our elimination game against MBG, nag-ilog mi para sa No. 1 rank sa tournament. Nag experiment mi og positions and nag study sad mi sa ilahang duwa,” he said.

(It is really tough because our opponent is also good. Most of the teams because they are still young are really fast and some are also veterans. During our elimination game against MBG, we fought for the No. 1 spot in the tournament. We experimented in the positions and we also studied their game.)

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Enjoy the experience

As the team captain, Talacero told her teammates to enjoy the experience and not put too much pressure on themselves. 

“Basta need lang gyud relax, enjoy and teamwork. Ara makita pud og unsa mi kahugpong sa usag usa. Tinabangay tanan nga walay dapat ma discourage para nindot ang performance sa team,” Talacero said.

(We should just need to relax, enjoy and teamwork. This is where we can see how united we are at each other. We help each other so that no one will be discouraged so that the performance of the team will be good.)

“Any opportunity sa team na naay mo invite pa namo open tournament, willing gyud kaayo mi mo join,” he said.

(Any opportunity for the team where someone will invite us for an open tournament, we are willing to join.)

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Rest of the team

Reinforcing the FTW Athletics Cebu City Volleyball Team was former University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigress Criselda Rondina along with four former Southwestern University-Phinma Lady Cobras in Sheila Bongo, Janelle Cabahug, Dyan Darantinao, and Therese Rae Ramas who is the team captain.

The rest of the team was comprised of Rhea Mae Parejo and Leady Ann Rule who are two current University of Cebu (UC) Lady Webmasters.

Their team manager was Bertoni Salazar of FTW Athletics.