Bacolod Tay Tung High School zoomed to the top as National U-Nazareth School debuted with a bang in the explosive second weekend of the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League (GVIL) Saturday at the San Andres Gym in Malate, Manila.
Bacolod made short work of Lyceum of the Philippines University-Cavite, 25-4, 25-7, while the Lady Bullpups hardly broke a sweat against University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, 25-7, 25-6, in the 16-team GVIL backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Potato Corner, Peri-Peri and R&B Tea with the City of Manila as government cooperation partner.
BTTH tossers celebrate.
It’s a pair of loud statement victories for the league’s top favorites with Bacolod scoring its second straight win to seize the leadership in Pool B while NU notching first win in Pool A.
Katherine Cortez starred with 19 points on 14 hits and five aces in the win for Bacolod that needed only 40 minutes of play.. Camila Bartolome added eight while Rhose Almendralejo and Dona De Leon chipped in six apiece.
“Nag-focus lang yung mga bata kasi gusto talaga nila manalo at at ipakita na kaya pala namin maglaro dito sa Manila kahit taga-probinsya kami,” said assistant coach Emmanuel Ma as Bacolod continued to prove its stature as one of the celebrated programs nationwide, especially in Palarong Pambansa.
NUNS, likewise, also needed 40 minutes of action to dispatch Perpetual behind the 12 points of Kianne Louise Olango.
Ten more players racked up the scoring board for the Lady Bullpups for a roaring start in a bid to follow up their sister team’s championship last year in the collegiate edition of the tilt also supported by Mikasa, Team Rebel Sports, Toby’s Sports, Genius Sports and SM Tickets.
“It’s not about a dominating debut eh. This is still a new team so we’re still playing for experience. We’re taking this as our first tournament for next UAAP season,” said coach Vilet Ponce-De Leon of the reigning UAAP juniors champions.
In the other match, the University of Santo Tomas shrugged off its debut loss to Naga College Foundation with a 25-11, 25-10 win over Emilio Aguinaldo College-Immaculate Conception Academy to make it 1-1 in Group D.
EAC and Lyceum remained winless in two games while Perpetual got off to the wrong foot at 0-1 in their respective groups.
All games of Shakey’s GVIL, in partnership with Athletic Events and Sports Management, Inc., (ACES), will be broadcasted live and on-demand through all social media platforms courtesy of Plus Network with CNN Philippines, Solar Sports and Tap Sports as TV partners.