DLS-Lipa tops Shakey’s Girls’ Volleyball League South Luzon stage

MANILA, Philippines - De La Salle Lipa rebounded from a third set setback then fended off every Holy Rosary College attack in the fourth to hack out a 25-17, 25-14, 24-26, 25-22 victory and rule the Southern Luzon leg of the 14th Shakey’s Girls’ Volleyball League at the Imus Institute of Science and Technology gym in Cavite recently.

DLS-Lipa, led by Janel Maraguinot, put on a string of emphatic straight-set victories from the elims to the semis and was on its way to clinching the crown without dropping a set until it was stopped by HRC in the third frame of the finals of the event, the spawning ground of volley talents sponsored by Shakey’s and organized by Metro Sports.

DLS-Lipa ripped Immaculate Conception Academy, 25-15, 25-8; trounced University of Perpetual Help System-Laguna, 25-17, 25-7; routed Bearer of Light and Wisdom Colleges, 25-9, 25-7; and ripped University of Perpetual Help System Dalta Molino, 25-15, 25-9, to sweep the five-team Pool A elims of the two-division group.

It then eased out Pool B No. 2 Calayan Educational Foundation Inc., 25-11, 25-10, in the crossover semis with Pool B topnotcher HRC beating Pool A No. 2 UPHSD-Molino, 25-17, 25-22.

Maraguinot went on to bag the MVP and best setter honors and led teammates Jamie Frago (best middle blocker), Mary Bautista (best outside attacker), Jan Malaluan (best opposite attacker), Reign Lumbera (best libero), UPM’s Ynna Hatulan (best middle blocker), and HRC’s Trisha Genesis (best outside attacker) in the roster of individual winners in the tournament sponsored by Shakey’s, Mikasa and Asics.

Meanwhile, Kings’ Montessori School and University of the East posted two wins each to set the early pace in the National Capital Region leg, which got under way last Monday at the St. Marie Eugenie Sports Complex in Antipolo.

KMS tripped St. Mark’s Institute, 25-14, 25-7, then clobbered Academy of God’s Children, 25-12, 25-7, to lead Pool C while UE swept Assumption Antipolo, 25-6, 25-21, then held off Colegio de San Lorenzo, 25-21, 25-10, to lead Pool D of the four-division tournament that includes National U of Pool A, University of Santo Tomas of Pool B and UP Integrated School of Pool D.

In other results, AGC topped Academy of Jesus, 25-9, 25-21; Makati High School ripped Colegio de San Lorenzo, 25-16, 25-8; SMI held off AOJ, 25-18, 25-20; and MHS thwarted Assumption, 25-20, 25-15.