LIPA City – Playing for pride, California Precision Sports (CPS) beat Baguio City, 25-14, 23-25, 25-11, 25-12, to register its Philippine National Volleyball Federation Champions League victory on Tuesday at the Aquamarine Recreational Center.
The Lady Highlanders also finally won a set in the second, but the Antipolo-based CPS regrouped with a dominant performance in the third and fourth to prevail.
“We could have done better,” skipper Kizzie Madriaga said after her teammates allowed Baguio City to steal a set before playing their usual game and snatch their first win in four outings.
The Lady Highlanders fell to 0-4.
Caisey Dongallo scored all but one of her 25 points on attacks and collected seven digs, Jelai Gajero added 16 points and eight digs and setter Madriaga tossed in 19 excellent sets for CPS.
Handled by multi-titled high school coach Jerry Yee in a bubble training for a month, CPS was finally rewarded after putting up a gallant stand in its first three matches.
“Coach Yee prepared for us very well,” Gajero said.
Those losses against professional clubs toughened CPS and Yee was the glue that kept the young crew together in the tournament.
“He is so calm coaching us,” said Madriaga, referring to Yee.
A “grassroots” volleyball program consisting of players from Bicol, Bulacan, Cebu, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Rizal, CPS lived up to the mantra “nothing to lose, everything to gain.”
“Our group’s dedication to the sport and its continuous precision training while in the bubble is paying off despite the pandemic,” CPS owner Dr. Obet Vital, who hopes that some of the athletes could try out for next year’s Asian Volleyball Cup U17 and U19 competitions, said.
Ann Atuban and Joan Lyn Maddatu each scored seven points, while Shyla Marie Ylarde and Rhaetia Mae Pilo contributed six points apiece for Baguio.
Both teams wrap up their Champions League campaigns on Wednesday (Nov. 24). CPS hopes to go out on a high note against Petro Gazz at 1:30 p.m.
The Lady Highlanders will get their final shot of getting a win at 4:00 p.m. when they face Chery Tiggo.
In the other match, F2 Logistics moved on the cusp of becoming the first-ever Philippine National Volleyball Federation Champions League women’s titlist following a 25-18, 25-18, 25-19 romp of Tuguegarao Perlas Spikers.
The Cargo Movers weathered a searing Perlas Spikers fightback in the second set and pulled away in the third to improve to 4-0.
Kianna Dy took the scoring mantle with 12 points, while setter Iris Tolenada had a solid all-around game of 10 points, including three aces and three blocks, and tossed in 20 excellent sets for F2 Logistics. (PR) -bny
