By ADRIAN STEWART CO

The St. John’s Institute (SJI) Falcons captured the National Youth Volleyball League (NYVL) championship after a dramatic five-set victory over the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigresses, 17-25, 25-15, 27-25, 25-19, in Manila.

Led by MVP Caera Celis, the Falcons bounced back from a first-set loss and took control of the match with strong serving and floor defense, forcing a decisive fourth set to seal the title in front of a large crowd.

The championship match was part of the NYVL tournament organized by the Philippine Schools Athletic Association, featuring top youth volleyball programs from across the country.

The victory also highlighted the partnership between the Falcons and the Nxled Chameleons, which supports grassroots volleyball development.

The Falcons played under the Nxled banner throughout the tournament.

With the win, the Falcons established itself as one of the country’s rising youth volleyball programs and capped its NYVL campaign with a national title.

The Falcons, based in Bacolod City, will return home as the league’s new champions./ASC, WDJ