TOP TEAM. The Holy Family Academy of Angeles, Pampanga finished the round robin elimination with a perfect slate 4-0 win-loss after beating First Capitol Provincial School of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan in three sets to lead bracket B going to the semifinals on the last day of the three-day Baguio Inter-High School Volleyball Invitational on Sunday (Sept. 8, 2019) (PNA photo by Pigeon Lobien)
BAGUIO CITY – The Holy Family Academy of Angeles (HFAA) City escaped a gritty First Capitol Provincial School (FCPS) of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan in a three-set thriller 25-22, 19-25, 15-13 to take the top spot in bracket B of the 1st Baguio Inter-High School Volleyball Invitational.
The competition, which brought in 11 high schools from three regions, started on Friday and will have its closing on Sunday.
California High School in Antipolo (CHSA) and the University of the Cordilleras High (UCHS) School are still up against each other in the top spot for bracket A.
It was a seesaw battle for the Angeles and San Jose del Monte, Bulacan squads, with either team taking a three-point lead in the first two sets.
The Bulacan team took the early lead 5-2 but saw its lead dissipate middle of the first set and Angeles took a three-point lead, 14-11, after winning four points and a point down 10-11.
Behind again by a point, HFAA won the last four points to end the first set.
Down 11-12, FCPS won four straight points to make it an 18-15 in the second set but HFA answered by scoring three points in the ensuing play to equalize at 18-all.
The FCPS, who also call themselves the “Eagles”, took the driver seat at 23-18 and never gave up to set up a winner take all third set.
HFA was the more aggressive team in the third set taking an 8-6 lead going to the change court.
FCPS played quite well at the other side of the court and even taking a 13-12 lead. But HFA won the next three games to take the game and complete the round-robin eliminations top spot with a perfect 4-0 win-loss slate with three of the games won in two sets.
HFA will face the loser of the CHSA–UCHS battle for bracket A leadership, while the winner will go up against the winning team.
Host UCHS (Baby Jaguars) has so far been dominant after a jittery opening Friday against University of Luzon of Dagupan.
In Saturday’s match against Pudtol, Apayao, the former team that dominated volleyball in the Cordilleras, the Baby Jaguars was almost perfect in handing the visitor a 25-15, 25-7 beating.
“They are gaining confidence after the jittery start,” said coach Sherry Ann Floresca of her wards, who have dominated the local leagues the past three years due to the success of the ABCamp which she introduced three years ago.
ABCamp, a volleyball clinic every June of the year since 2016, has developed most of the UCHS players that saw them win the Akari Volleyball Tournament - Northern Luzon leg last year and a top-eight finish in the Palarong Pambansa earlier this year.
“The kids are getting better with every tournament that they join in and this is one of the events that will surely test their mettle,” she said as she spearheaded the organizing of the Inter-High School tournament.
But it will be an acid test against the California side, the former Batang Pinoy national finals champion and winner of the recent Pudtol, Apayao open when they beat the reigning Baguio-Benguet Educational Athletic League (BBEAL) champion Baguio College of Technology (BCT).
UCHS placed third in the tournament. “Kakayanin naman siguro to get into the finals,” she said of their chances in the semifinals where they have already qualified in the Inter-High.
Floresca will definitely depend on the Pudtol, Apayao native Viviene Joy Padayao and team captain Angela Kier Sabas.
Padayao had a steal in the University of Luzon game that saw them survive a first-round scare, then Sabas took over the Apayao game when Padayao simmered down when she played against her former team. (PNA)
