NCR, Southern Luzon spikers forge Shakey’s GVL finals tiff

NATIONAL Capital Region and Southern Luzon posted a pair of straight-set victories yesterday to seal a showdown for the Shakey’s Girls’ Volleyball League Season 13 national crown at Cuneta Astrodome.

The Big City bets got back at last year’s finals tormentor Western Visayas with a 25-22, 25-19 victory while Southern Luzon, represented by the De La Salle-Lipa spikers, held off Southern Mindanao, 25-22, 25-23, in the Final Four of the league sponsored by Shakey’s.

Southern Luzon, which stunned NCR, 25-22, 23-25, 32-30, in a thriller last Tuesday, and the host team were disputing the championship at presstime.

NCR, represented by regional champion National U, clobbered Central Visayas, 25-16, 25-17, to finish second to Southern Luzon in Pool B with a 2-1 card. Southern Luzon took the top spot with a 3-0 slate.

Western Visayas, composed of Central Philippine U players, also defeated tbe Davao City National High side of Southern Mindanao, 25-15, 25-10, to gain the top seeding in Pool A via sweep. Southern Mindanao, composed of Davao City National High School players, settled for second with a 2-1 mark.

Eastern Visayas finished third in Pool A with a 1-2 record after a 25-23, 19-25, 26-24 victory over Northern Luzon while Central Visayas swept Northern Mindanao, 25-17, 25-19, to place third in Pool B of the event organized by Metro Sports headed by Freddie Infante and backed by Asics, Mikasa and My Phone.

In the crossover semis, the Lady Bullpups of NCR, starring Faith Nisperos, Jasmine Nabor, Thea Gagate and setter Joyme Cagande, took control early then held off the Western Visayas’ crew headed by Princess Ann Robles, Claudine Troncoso and Julie Ann Robles’ rallies to pound out the straight-set victory.