Adamson University dominated Bacolod Tay Tung in a sweeping 25-20, 25-5, 25-22 victory in the winner-take-all gold medal match to reign supreme in the 2024 Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League on Sunday at the Adamson University Gym main court.
Composure, maturity, and championship experience spelled the difference for the Baby Falcons as they weathered a third-set scare from the Thunderbolts, completing a six-game tournament sweep.
Abegail Segui and Lhouriz Tuddao came up big in the third frame, delivering timely hits, while outgoing veteran Shaina Nitura kept Adamson together, repelling Bacolod Tay Tung’s attempts to extend the match.
“Sinabi ko sa kanila na ang mindset nila i-renew nila when in doubt sila sa mga ginagawa nila. Sabi ko, you must put in the right mindset so that magiging maayos ang flow ng ginagalaw ninyo,” said Baby Falcons head coach JP Yude.
Tuddao scored 11 points, anchored on an impressive effort at the net with five kill blocks to go with four attacks and two aces for the Baby Falcons, who won their second title this year following a sweep of UAAP Season 86.
Nitura and Segui finished with 10 markers each for Adamson, who found the Bacolod-based squad a tough nut to crack despite a lopsided second set.
The Baby Falcons shattered an 18-18 deadlock in the third set with a 5-2 run capped by a kill block by Nitura. Mariana Pineda put Adamson at championship point with a lucky find off a 1-2 play.
The Thunderbolts saved a match point only for Felicity Sagaysay to seal the deal with a 1-2 winner.
“I think hindi lang siya special sa akin. It’s special for the team and sa mga coaches and sa mga nanay at sa mga parents na nanonood and sa crowd Adamson community. This is a very good opportunity sa mga matitira nakuha na nila yung kompiyansa at tapang para sa susunod na leagues na sasalihan nila lalo na for (UAAP) Season 87,” said Nitura as she celebrated her farewell tour of duty for Adamson high school with another perfect conquest.
Rhose Almendralejo went cold with only seven points.
Ditto for Jothea Ramos, Dona De Leon, and Camila Bartolome for Bacolod Tay Tung, who still surpassed their third-place finish in the inaugural edition despite seeing their five-game win streak snapped in the most important match of the tournament.
Meanwhile, Kings’ Montessori School turned back National University-Nazareth School, 25-18, 24-26, 25-23, 25-22, to bag the bronze medal in the country’s premier grassroots volleyball tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Eurotel, Victory Liner, Smart Sports, Mikasa, Team Rebel Sports, Data Project, Genius Sports, and Robinsons Malls.
Shekaina Lleses displayed grace under pressure, scoring the Vikings’ last four points, including a well-placed offspeed hit, to tame the Lady Bullpups for a podium finish.
The graduating veteran fired 28 points, including nine in the fourth set, collected from 25 attacks and three aces for Kings’ Montessori, who denied NUNS a medal after also placing fourth in the inaugural edition.
Shahanna Lleses added 14 markers, while Justine Decena and Kriska Gindap had seven and six points, respectively, for Kings’ Montessori.
The Vikings had a scare late in the fourth frame when the Lady Bullpups made a run to take a 20-18 advantage. Shekaina Lleses willed her team back on top before NUNS winger Diza Berrayo tied it at 21.
Lleses then scored two of the Vikings’ next three points to push her team at match point.
She committed an attack error in the next play but made up for the mistake with a push to end a long rally.
Berayo scored 22 points, Joseline Salazar got 12 markers, while Mardy Tayag added 11 for the Lady Bullpups. Far Eastern University-Diliman cruised past Arellano University, 25-18, 25-23, 25-19, for a fifth-place finish in the SGVIL, organized by Athletic Events and Sports Management, Inc., and shown via livestream on Smart Sports and Puso Pilipinas, Aliw 23 (free TV), and Solar Sports.
Bethel Academy College recovered from a hiccup in the opening set to prevail over Lyceum of the Philippines University, 22-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-20, for a seventh-place finish.
