By ADRIAN STEWART CO
The Bacolod Tay Tung High School Thunderbolts emerged as the Rebisco Volleyball League National Finals champion after defeating the Naga College Foundation Tigers, 25-17, 25-23, 25-15, at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City on Saturday night, January 13.
Jihan Isabelle Chuatico anchored the Western Visayas representatives to be named as the Finals Most Valuable Player and 1st Best Middle Blocker, while her teammate Patricia Grace Hiponia was awarded as Best Setter.
Both teams exchanged leads early in the first set until the Thunderbolts managed to create separation from the Tigers for a 24-16.
The Tigers saved a set point, but the Thunderbolts closed the set on a drop hit by Rhose Almendralejo.
In the second set, the game was tight with both teams knotted at 23-apiece before the Thunderbolts scored back-to-back points via a Tigers’ error and an attack from Dona Mae de Leon.
The Thunderbolts went for the kill in the third set as they jumped to an 18-11 lead, and later to 23-14 via a De Leon block.
An error by the Tigers followed by a drop ball from Almendralejo secured the championship for the Bacolodnons.
It was the Thunderbolts’ first championship in the Rebisco Volleyball League National Finals, months after the same school captured the Palarong Pambansa secondary girls volleyball gold.
“Nadaan namin sa tiyaga. Talagang pinaghandaan namin itong National Finals kasi we fell short during our past three participations here,” Thunderbolts interim coach Roberto Calamba, Jr. said.
“Credit to the players for giving their all, kahit halos every day ang game namin, hindi bumaba ‘yung energy nila hanggang dulo, and we are happy to have represented Western Visayas well here in Rebisco,” he added.
The Thunderbolts went undefeated in their group stage games against Sto. Niño National High School (Davao del Norte), Corpus Christi School (Cagayan de Oro), De La Salle Lipa (Batangas), and Notre Dame of Dadiangas University (General Santos City).
Other members of the Thunderbolts team are Camila Amor Bartolome, Jothea Ramos, Alexia Montoro, Alijah Ysulan, Joenil Ramos, Ana Francessca Hermosura, Rhea Tomas, and Abigail Labajo./ASC, WDJ