By ADRIAN STEWART CO
The Bacolod Tay Tung High School Thunderbolts, representing Western Visayas, are aiming to defend their crown in the 2024 Rebisco Volleyball League (RVL) National Finals slated from November 22 to 25 in Mandaluyong City.
The Thunderbolts, which defeated Naga College Foundation Tigers in the finals last year, made a return trip to the national finals after ruling the RVL Western Visayas qualifying leg recently.
The Bacolod City-based volleyball team defeated the Buenavista National High School, the Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion and the Northwestern Visayan Colleges to sweep their prequalifying group.
In the semifinals round, the Thunderbolts ousted the Central Philippine University Golden Lions before they defeated fellow Bacolod City-based team, St. John’s Institute Baby Falcons, in the finals.
Ann Francesca Hermosura stood tallest for the Thunderbolts as she was named MVP and 2nd Best Middle Blocker, while Rhea Mae Tomas and Jan Rose Bulak as Best Libero and Best Setter, respectively.
The Thunderbolts of head coach Ian Macariola also occupied the Best Opposite Attacker and 1st Best Outside Hitter slots in Joenil Ann Ramos and Camila Amor Bartolome, respectively.
Aside from the Thunderbolts, two other Visayas-based volleyball teams are competing in the national finals — University of San Jose-Recoletos of Cebu and the Linao National High School of Leyte.
Also competing in the national finals are Mindanao regional titlists — the Sto. Niño National High School, the Corpus Christi School and the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University — as well as four teams from the ongoing Luzon regional leg.
“Ang ine-envision ko talaga is ayusin ang operations ng RVL hanggang sa mapalaki namin pa, para mas maraming top teams [from the provinces] ang makasali,” league commissioner Ysay Marasigan said.
“And we can also see kung ano pa ‘yung kailangan i-improve for the lower levels sa Visayas and Mindanao para mapataas pa ‘yung level nila para maging kapantay ng [National Capital Region],” he added./ASC, WDJ