STI SVC: STI College Sta. Maria complete final four

STI College Caloocan Spikers pick up the pieces

STI College Sta. Maria got their revenge as the Bulacan spikers proved to be steadier in the clutch to halt the unbeaten run of STI College Caloocan 25 – 13, 25 – 18, 25  - 22 to enter the Final Four of the STI Women’s Volleyball Challenge at the Eusebio H. Tanco Gym in STI College Ortigas-cainta.

Josephine Victorio glides on air

Leading the Bulacan Spikers was their main gunner in Josephine Victorio whose 21 points came from 17 kills and four aces and her over-all leadership rubbed on to her team mates that made their game the only lopsided win in the Elite 8 format of the STI Volleyball Challenge.

Singson receives the Ball 

The Caloocan Spikers on the other hand came out flat and started out with so many errors that gave the Bulacan Volleybelles a big lead from the get go. Unfortunately, the Caloocan team found it hard to regroup and find their game which made them the top team in the North Luzon phase of this tournament. Too many errors in the three sets got the better of them.

Ingson is ready to score

The only bright spot on the Caloocan offense were their Middle Blocker Mary Lyn Tanggalin who scored 8 points and their spiker Justine Angeles who scored 7 points. On the other hand, STI College Sta. Maria’s Margie Bermeo backed up Victorio with 12 points on 10 kills, 1 service ace and a solo block. Although two spikers shined, it was a total team effort for the Bulacan team as their floor defense and net defense made it hard for STI College Caloocan to get their game going .

A joust at the net

STI College Sta. Maria will now advance to the final four and meet the rampaging STI College Santa Rosa team. Although the Santa Rosa team has an immaculate record, the Bulacan spikers are ready to strut their wares and give them a good fight. Winners of this knock-out game will advance to the finals.

STI SVC: Global City exacts revenge

Lyka Caniya led the Global City resurgence

STI College Global City scored the day’s first reversal as the Taguig based Spikers erased the stigma of their loss against STI College Las Pinas in the eliminations and clawed back to win in four sets 13 – 25, 25 – 16, 25 – 23, 25 – 21 and get back at their tormentors in the resumption of games of the STI Women’s Volleyball Challenge.

Darryl Enguio scores on this set

STI College Las Pinas started like a house on fire in the first set as the Las Pinas spikers ran rings around their Taguig counterparts with superb team work and relentless spiking. The result was a 25 – 13 thrashing of STI College Global City. These two teams met in the eliminations with STI College Las Pinas winning and with the Las Pinas team dominating the first set, it looked like a three set rout was on hand.

Serving for the set

Unfortunately for the Las Pinas team, the Global City team woke up and the difference between the next three sets was like night and day. Team Captain and League Best muse Lyka Caniya spearheaded the Global City attack while her teammates followed suit in defense, digging and blocking that stymied the Las Pinas offense and resulted into STI College Global City winning the second set 25 – 16. 

Some Net action

Getting the needed confidence in the previous set, STI College Global City continued to work their game into perfection as the Las Pinas Spikers had a hard time getting back at the game.  STI College Las Pinas continued making unforced errors and yielded the next two sets 25 – 23 and 25 -21 that sent the team they beat in the eliminations to the STI Volleyball Challenge Final four.

Lyka Caniya dropping the ball on an empty spot

Lyka Caniya led her team with 20 points as she rattled in 18 kills and two aces. Backing her up was Dasiy Salimbacod who scored 14 points with eight coming   from kills, two coming from aces and four coming from monster solo blocks that anchored the stone wall net defense of STI College Global City. The Global City team will next meet STI College Ortigas-Cainta in the final four that will determine what team will make it to the finals.

STI SVC Elite 8: STI College OrCA beat STI College Cubao

Loren Encisa & Kendra Fernandez prepare to dig

STI College Ortigas-Cainta withstood the gallant stand of the STI College Cubao Spikers as the Rizal based volleyball team beat the Q.C based spikers in four sets 25 – 20, 25 – 16, 20 – 25, 25 – 18 to secure the second final four slot and remain unbeaten in the STI Women’s Volleyball Challenge at the Eusebio H. Tanco Gym at STI College Ortigas-Cainta.

Sabrina Umali on the attack

STI College Ortigas-Cainta started the game with their frenetic pace of Volleyball and held a 6 – 1 lead. But after STI College Cubao settled down they started getting good sets and caught up with STI College OrCA. Unfortunately for them, the team from Rizal province shifted to a higher gear to run away with the first set 25 – 20.

STI College Cubao's steady force Alexandra Vigilia scores on this attack

In the second set, the Ortigas-Cainta team came out with fangs in their teeth and manhandled the STI College Cubao team.  Led by Sabrina Umali and setter Kate del Rosario pounded on the hapless Cubao team. The P. Tuazon based spikers would run in a maze of errors and had problems receiving the ball that led to a 25 – 16 rout.

Net action between Shiecka Saco and Alliah Lelina

The third set gave STI College Cubao a new lease of life as the nitty gritty team finally got their game going and answered every spike that STI College ORCa was able to give them.  Alexandra Vigilia and Shiecka Aira Saco, STI College Cubao’s 1- 2 punch pounded their opponents to submission to gain the upper hand and win the set 25 – 20. 

STI College OrCa's Libero Loren Encisa saves the ball

The fourth set saw the Ortigas-Cainta team forge ahead, add on their lead and have enough poise to finish the game and remain unbeaten.  On the other STI College Cubao went back to their erratic game, gave up some points and wasn’t able to keep up with STI College Ortigas-Cainta thus surrendering their chance to advance. STI College Ortigas-Cainta will now meet STI College Global City.

STI College Santa Rosa advances to SVC Final 4

STI College Santa Rosa fell down but stood up to win

STI College Santa Rosa survived the gritty stand of a fighting STI College Batangas team to pull out a nerve wracking four set win  25-13, 25-17, 23-25, 26 – 24 at the start of the Elite 8 of the STI Women’s Volleyball Challenge.  The win knocked-out the Batangas team and catapulted the Santa Rosa team to the Final four of the Women’s Volleyball tournament.

Camille Tiongco of STI College Santa Rosa in action

At the get to, the STI College Santa Rosa team showed their mastery of the STI College Batangas team as they stream rolled over the opposition with a 25 – 13 and 25 – 17 win in the first two sets. Unfortunately, when the third set got into play the once invincible team Santa Rosa began to succumb into a maze of errors that shattered their invincibility. 

Chrislyn Averion of STI College Batangas sets the ball

STI College Batangas then erected an 11 – 3 lead on the strength of the seven unforced errors of the Santa Rosa team. The Laguna based Lady Spikers would eventually yield a game high 16 errors as STI College Batangas had enough steam to come out with a 25 – 23 third set victory. It was the first set loss of the Laguna team.

Rose Ann Galano of STI College Santa Rosa prepares to recieve the ball

In the fourth set, STI College Santa Rosa went to work early but still came out with numerous errors that gave the Batangas team another chance to regroup and catch up. With the score at 24 – 21, STI College Santa Rosa stumbled once again to give the Batangas team one last gasp as they tied the score 24 – all. Then Santa Rosa ace spiker Camille TIongson put matters into her own hands to pull out the exciting victory.

Intense net action

Camille Tiongco topscored for the STI College Santa Rosa team as she scored 18 points with 12 kills and six service aces. TIongco was supported by Coleen Maceda Catherine Mercado and setter Hiennah Trinos. On the other hand, STI College Batangas was led by Leisa Macha and setter Chrislyn Averion.  STI College Santa Rosa will meet STI College Sta. Maria in the STI Women’s Volleyball Challenge Final Four.