LA TRINIDAD, Benguet
Kapangan and La Trinidad booked their respective Final Four tickets as two more seats need to be filled up in the Cong. Eric Go Yap Congressional Cup – Benguet Women’s Volleyball League at the Benfuet Sports Complex here Wednesday. Kapangan fought from a 21-24 set point in the third set, scored the last five points and ended Itogon’s fight back to advance to the semifinals with a 25-16, 25-17, 26-24 victory. Roselyn Suhat conjured a magic for the Danny Edwardo mentored squad and whose three service aces – her only such – came at the most crucial time of the 69-minute encounter.
Staring at a 20-23 deficit, Suhat’s kill moved Kapangan to within two, 21-23, but Reynae Arances, after getting blocked by Lovely Joy a few plays earlier, had a booming cross-over to put Itogon within a point of taking the third set and extend the game. Xhyrielle Sasa worked her wonders as she defied two blockers to move Kapangan to 22-24.
Then Suhat made the first of her service aces and Kapangan was point down. Another service that Itogon received, set up a waxing Arances which was too long tied the game.
Then it was all Suhat show as she served for the two crucial aces to give Kapangan the set, 26-24 to with the 25-16, 25-17 earlier sets. “Oh well we tried our best and we came up short. I would have loved to play some more if we survived this, but then that’s just it, we came up short,” said the former University of the Cordilleras standout, whose
work with the Benguet Electric Cooperative prevented her from playing in many occasions. “The team I fear the most is out.
I thought facing Arances could be a set back for us,” summed Edwardo in the win that put them in semifinals and join second seed La Trinidad in the final four after the local squad survived a fighting Buguias which needed four sets. It was hard fought 25-13, 25-20, 23-25, 25-21 victory for La Trinidad in 101 minutes of action. Elyzel Nunez and Shirley Balantac made sure the march to the semis would happen as they led their squad which is still lacking one of their strongest players, Stephanie Torres. Torres was present in their quarterfinals match but reported in street
clothes.
Nunez scored a game high 23 points on 17 attacks and six aces, even as Balantac had 22 excellent sets on top of three
attack points. Leading 21-19 in the third canto, Trinidad looked like they will wrap up the game after trailing most of the way in that period. “We are happy that we gave them a good fight in the third. I know that they can pull it off and they did it,” said Trinidad coach John Patrick Garcia of the Buguias fightback that bore fruit. “We are happy that they
(Buguias) won a set and they fought real well, at least we gave them a good fight despite losing the third,” added Garcia.
Mya Dione Pawid chipped in 12 markers on eight attack points, three service aces and a block where Heidi Tallocoy
chipped in eight markers while Floralex Budas and Kates Gacad added seven markers each. Eloise Manganip led
Buguias with nine markers, while Geneveb Buyagan and Desiree Joy Banih added seven markers for Buguias which
bows down of the league backed by Cong Eric Go Yap, the ACT CIS Party List and the Office of Gov. Melchor Diclas.
Pigeon Lobien/ABN
February 15, 2025
February 15, 2025
February 15, 2025
February 15, 2025
February 15, 2025
February 15, 2025