SABLAN WINS 1ST GOV. DICLAS WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL CUP

July 7, 2024 Community Billboard

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet

After its worst outing Sunday, Sablan was at its former dominant self anew to sweep Kapangan in Game three and took home the first Gov. Melchor D. Diclas Women’s Volleyball Cup at the Benguet Sports Complex in barangay
Wangal. After getting swept Sunday for its very first loss after a 14-0 run that saw Sablan at the cups of the
championship, the players from the province’s fruit capital were all business to take a 25-18, 25 15, 25-17 victory in the winner take all, game three of the two month old tournament, which served as the answer to the call of a tournament for women after the successful Cong. Eric Go Yap Basketball Tournament held late last year.

The heavily favored Sablan side appeared to be on its way to claiming the title when it raced to an early four point lead, but Kapangan’s solid defense came to play and saw a reversal en-route to a 25 22, 25-21, 25-16 masterful win
on a rather dazed and confused Sablan side. Kapangan even came to the game sans an injured Dezsaera Mae Monang, who came to the sports complex with her right leg in a brace. Even without the top server and most valuable player, Kapangan had Victoria Mae Balabag leading the charge with 13 points on 10 attacks, two blocks and a service ace for the win.

Setter and team captain Edralyn Mangantulad had 11 excellent sets to orchestrate Kapangan’s offense even as libero Phoebe Aludos orchestrated the team’s defense that was a quandary for Sablan’s offense. Sablan has apparently lost
its steam in the third set as Kapangan took an early 4-1 lead and slowly built a sizeable five, six and seven eight point lead. The game went to a rubber match when all was set for the awards after the match where the Best 12 and Mythical seven were named as well as the cash rewards for the nine other municipalities as well as the fourth and third placed teams.

Earlier, Tuba avenged its Cong. Eric Go Yap Basketball Cup battle for third defeat to Itogon when it conjured a 25
15, 25-23, 20-25, 25-22 victory in in one hour and 45 minutes of action to take third place. “Nabawian kami,” said
Itogon sports coordinator Ferdinand Sapalong, the Itogon men’s basketball team playing coach which defeated a Rumolo Rimando, Jr. coached Tuba side in the battle for third inOctober last year. Rimando or coach Joon died mid-June from lung cancer. Tuba took the P25,000 purse and trophy that night, while the fourth placed Itogon side was P20,000 the richer.

The same amount went to their chosen beneficiaries. The quarterfinalists received P15,000 each, while the five teams who got eliminated earlier took home P10,000. Their benificiaries received the same amount. Kapangan went home with a P35,000 cash prize as well as a trophy, while the champion, took home P50,000 and the trophy. Their named beneficiary received the same amount. Sablan’s Maricar Pilay was named the Finals Most Valuable player while her coach Romeo Amboy was named top coach of the tournament. Kapangan’s chief tactician Lennon Bangsi-el was named most promising coach.

Monang was earlier named as the tournament MVP, as well as best server, while team mates Mangantulad, Aludos and Balabag were named best setter, libero and outside hitter, in that order. Pilay and team captain Hannah Mae Dumpit were also named in the Mythical 7 as well.

Pigeon M. Lobien/ABN Photo courtesy by SABLAN HR IO