By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Bacolod Tay Tung High School 13-Under Thunderbolts clinched the crown in the 13-under category of the 2nd Congressman Greg Gasataya Age Group Volleyball Tournament at the Montalbo Residence in Bacolod City on Sunday, February 19.

Samantha Cañete stood tall for the 13-Under Thunderbolts as they defeated Talisay Elementary School in the championship round, 25-20, 25-15, and completed a sweep of the two-day tournament.

Cañete was later hailed as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player while also bagging the Best 1st Middle Blocker citation for the Roberto Calamba, Jr.-mentored Thunderbolts.

Also receiving awards from the Thunderbolts were Ariane Alayon as Best 1st Open Spiker, Jessica Soco as Best 2nd Middle Blocker, Marishka Andrada as Best Setter, and Maria Shania Coronica as Best Libero.

Other members of the Thunderbolts squad were Czarina Ang, Alexa Uy, Regine Wong Yan, Miley Panganiban, Adriel Montalbo, Yeriel Montalbo, Chynna Uy, Isabelle Narciso, Adriana Kaye Escultura, and Alynna Hulleza.

“It was a total team effort by the players,” Calamba said.

“Some of them were just playing in their first tournaments with the Bacolod Tay Tung but have displayed hunger and desire to win,” he said.

“They will surely learn a lot from this experience here in this two-day tournament which they will carry as they go on with their volleyball careers here at Bacolod Tay Tung,” he added.

In the preliminary round, the Thunderbolts 13-Under prevailed over Murcia, La Carlota, Eelms-Talisay, Talisay Elementary School, and Living Stones International School before repeating over La Carlota in the semifinals round.

Meanwhile, other individual awardees were Kristel Mirasol of Talisay Elementary School as Best 2nd Open Spiker, Shenna Buquial of Murcia as Best Server and Mery Joy Dojillo of La Carlota as Best Opposite Spiker.

The age group volleyball tournament will resume with the Under-15 and Under-18 categories this weekend at the same venue./ASC, WDJ