Southern Luzon tossers nip NCR, seize GVL crown

Southern Luzon survived National Capital Region, 23-25, 25-16, 18-25, 26-24, 15-11, late Thursday to bag the Shakey’s Girls’ Volleyball League Season 13 national crown at Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay.

Powered by top players of De La Salle Lipa and De La Salle Zobel, the Southern Luzon squad overcame five match points from 19-24 to complete their rally in the fourth set and force the fifth and deciding set.

Momentum shifted to the La Salle spikers in the fifth set against the defending champion NCR, whose core is built around UAAP juniors champions National University Lady Bullpups.

Alleiah Jan Malaluan and Jamie Margaret Frago unloaded power hits in succession while the rest of the squad devised a gritty floor defense the Big City bets failed to penetrate.

Malaluan fired five attack points and bagged the MVP honors while Frago registered 14 hits in the finals of the league organized by Metro Sports headed by Freddie Infante and backed by Asics, Mikasa and My Phone.

Southern Luzon began its trip to the championship with a three-set win over NCR to sweep the Pool B eliminations, then demolished Southern Mindanao in the semifinals to arrange the title showdown with NCR, which drew superb performances from Faith Nisperos and Michaela Belen.

Western Visayas placed third in the tournament with a 25-20, 25-23 win over Southern Mindanao.