Unscathed Cavite volleyball men advance to PRISAA Nat’ls
The Cavite volleyball men, mainly comprised of green-blooded Patriots, successfully secured their ticket to the national meet as they pulverized the Quezon team with a clean slate 25-24, 25-14, 25-19, in the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) — Regionals held at the Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation (MSEUF) Gymnasium, Lucena City, Quezon, last March 11.
Regarding his plans for the CALABARZON team in the nationals, Cavite’s head coach Mikko Gako stated, “May plano akong kumuha ng tatlong players to improve the lineup… we have to pick the best players dito sa CALABARZON. We’re looking forward to be the champion for the [PRISAA] nationals talaga, ‘yon naman ang pinaka goal ng lahat. We’re looking forward to have a better training… para mas madaling ma-meet ‘yong goal sa nationals championship.” he said.
Proving their supremacy during the regional meet, the Cavite-based spikers stepped confidently into the final round after carving a stainless streak of 3-0, demolishing Quezon, Batangas, and Laguna in the elimination round.
Regionals kings
The Caviteños gave away two points to the Quezon squad in the beginning of the first canto, with a service ace and a kill from Quezon’s Herrera and De Los Santos, respectively, 0-2.
Quickly catching up, Patriots Jan Cedrick Item, Chandler Salapuddin, and Aidam Adam hooded the Quezon-based team with spikes and a service ace, respectively, giving them a 1-point advantage, 3-2.
After a back-and-forth trading stint, the teams pushed a tight 22-21 record as Cavite committed errors. However, Cavite immediately cut Quezon’s chase and finished the first set with a thrilling 26-24 mark with Patriots Marco Polo Ordoñez and Aidam Adam’s kills.
Smoothly opening the second set, Caviteño Eddiemar Kasim’s kill led the team by two points, 3-1, but Quezon-based team instantly fired back, 3-2. Patriot Salapuddin achieved a 4-0 rally with his kills, 7-2, but Quezon’s Ricaforte came back shortly, 7-4.
The volleyball teams exchanged shots, pushing a 22-13 score. Not knowing it would be their last point for the canto, Ricaforte’s ace added a point to the Quezon team’s basket, 22-14, but Caviteños Alsafari Pajiji and Adam’s spike and ace closed the second set, respectively, 25-14.
The dawn of the third canto mimicked the opening of first set as the Quezon team widened the gap with a 2-point contribution of Quezon-based Lim, 0-2, but Patriot Item managed to restitute a kill, 1-2. The Cavite team stole the lead, with the help of Salapuddin’s quick spikes, 4-3, but Quezon’s Ricaforte tied the scores with his spike, 4-4.
Quezon province’s spikers rushed behind the Cavite team and leveled up the scores to 19-17, but the Caviteños extended their advantage with a 5-point rally, 24-17, flooding the opponent with a spike, two drops, and a kill.
The Quezon team supplemented two points to their score, 24-19, but Caviteño Jayven Racelis brought an end to Quezon’s regionals quest with his winning spike, which concluded the third set, 25-19, hailing Cavite as the kings of regionals.
