By ADRIAN STEWART CO

The San Beda University Lady Red Spikers ruled the 1st Manila Women’s Cup volleyball event after a 25-19, 22-25, 25-16, 25-19 triumph over the Polytechnic University of the Philippines at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila.

Negrense Sophie Cagalawan had a consistent showing in the week-long tournament to be named the Most Valuable Player and being named as part of Mythical 6 for the Lady Red Spikers.

“This championship was not just [for] me. It was a total team effort,” Cagalawan told Fastbreak website in an interview.

“Every one of us did our job in practices and actual games to achieve this,” she said.

“The team is hoping that this championship will serve as motivation and inspiration for the entire team ahead of the NCAA competition,” the former Bacolod Tay Tung High School standout added.

Aside from Cagalawan, Lady Red Spikers’ Andrea Bernal was also cited as part of the tournament’s Mythical 6.

Aside from Cagalawan, the other Negrense volleybelles in the Lady Red Spikers’ roster are Gwen Bañas, Jermaine Joniega, Jaschryl Casugod, and Gina Espina.

Completing the squad of Lady Red Spikers head coach Edgar Barroga are Isabel Viray, Marielle Teves, Elijah Fernandez, Miles Gregorio, Janelle Bacha, Rea Hadlocon, and Chynna Castillo.

On their way to the championship round, the Lady Red Spikers edged the Philippine Christian University in the quarterfinals before ousting their fellow NCAA squad, the Arellano University Lady Chiefs, in the semis.

The Lady Red Spikers came from a seventh-place finish during the NCAA Season 99 women’s volleyball tournament, winning just three of their nine elimination round matches./ASC, WDJ