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| Another brilliant late-game performance by Ken Emman Ikalina was enough to put PWU on the cusp of an ISAA men's volleyball repeat. File from the ISAA Facebook page |
By Ricky Manliguis
Philippine Women’s University and Immaculada Concepcion
College posted hard-earned wins to highlight Game 1 of the Inter-Scholastic Athletic
Association (ISAA) Season 15 volleyball tournament Wednesday at the PATTS
College of Aeronautics gym in Parañaque City.
The Patriots leaned on the endgame heroics of Ken Emman Ikalina and the defensive brilliance of libero Javen Brylle Quinado in the fifth and final set to fashion out a pulsating 26-24, 14-25, 27-25, 20-25, 15-13 victory over host team PATTS Seahorses and move a win away from securing back-to-back men’s titles.
Down 10-12 in the decider, Ikalima racked up three of the
final five PWU points, including the off-the-block hit that enabled the boys
from Taft to finish off the two-hour, eight-minute tussle. The skipper Quindao
also provided the needed floor defense especially at crunchtime amidst the scoring
barrage by the Seahorses.
Ikalina finished with 12 points spiked on 10 attacks and two
service aces, while John Paul Cruz chipped in 11 markers and John Reymond
Rabino 10 for PWU. Quindao, the reigning Best Libero of the league, finished in
double digits in digs.
Joshua Oribello paced PATTS, which lost only for the second
time this season stretching the elimination rounds, with a game-best 17 points,
while captain Reggem Gemotra and Kristoffer Alejos both cashed in 13.
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| Setter Charlotte Tutanes and the rest of Immaculada Concepcion College are a win away from the women's tournament sweep. File from the ISAA Facebook page. |
In the women’s finals, the Lady Blue Hawks started out strong
then weathered the storm put up by La Consolacion College- Manila in the next two
sets en route to a 25-12, 25-21, 26-24 win to likewise secure a 1-0 lead in the
series.
The Edgar Barroga-mentored squad nearly squandered several
leads, especially in the third set behind a relentless rally by the Lady Blue
Royals, but hung tough in the end behind Player of the Match Gelah Lopez to
secure the win.
Both PWU and ICC will try to sweep their respective finals
series with Game 2 scheduled on Wednesday also at the PATTS gym. Game 3, if
necessary, will be on Friday also at the same venue.
Also to be played out on Wednesday will be the battle for
third place in both divisions. The men’s bronze medal game will feature the
WCC-ATC Skyhawks and the Treston Golden Lions, while ICCT Colleges and WCC-ATC
battle it out in the women’s side.
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