PATIENCE paid big time for Arellano as the Lady Chiefs finally nailed their first volleyball crown after a two-game sweep of the San Sebastian Lady Stags in their Season 90 title showdown at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan City last Friday.
Six years after joining the league, Arellano hammered out a 25-23, 25-19, 26-24 title-clincher to the delight of its animated fans headed by no less than their school president Jose Cayco, Marketing and athletic director Val Cayco and Management Committee representative Peter Cayco.
The volleyball title was Arellano’s second this year after topping seniors chess in the first semester last year and third overall after reigning supreme in men’s beach volleyball several years back.
“The school and the whole Arellano University community is proud of the team and hopefully, this is a start of something bigger for us,” said an ecstatic Peter Cayco.
It was a long wait, but the Lady Chiefs patiently built its squad of role players until they developed into a championship-capable core.
“If you will notice, out of the individual awardees, there are no Arellano players there,” said Arellano coach Obet Javier, who was later named Best Coach. “The reason is that we always try to make everybody get involved in all the things we do, may it be in offense or in defense. And I’m happy it worked for us all season.”
At least five players—Menchie Tubiera, Danna Henson, Shirley Salamagos, CJ Rosario and team captain Rialen Sante—took turns in carrying the load in each outing.
In the finals, it was the power-hitting Tubiera who shone, including an 18-hit game in the title-clinching Game Two.