Spike for a cause
The Sports Development Office (SDO) extended their arms for a Spike for a cause: a one-day friendship game on October 9, at the Ugnayang La Salle (ULS) to fund DLSU-D alumni volleyball player Ross Ann Cajigas’s baby daughter, Georgina Chloe Viado’s liver transplant and Human Resources Management Office (HRMO) trainee Emerico Rasing’s medical assistance. Several players from Philippine Air force (PAF) Volleyball Team, Meralco Volleyball Team, Emilio Aguinaldo College–Manila (EAC–M) Generals, De La Salle–Lipa (DLSL) Chevrons, Parañaque Judiciary Team, and DLSU-D varsity team and alumni joined the friendship game along with volleyball enthusiasts and celebrity-singers Bugoy Drilon and Hansen Nichols.
“Humingi ng tulong ‘yong dating varsity player (Ross Anne Viado), so ang purpose talaga namin [ay matulungan siya],” SDO Director Fidel Rojales expressed.
#DLSUDCARES
Despite Chloe’s death last October 1 due to multiple organ failure, many athletes still showed up to play and offer their spikes to aid the family of Cajigas. Proving the success of the said event, 22 teams from both men and women’s division joined the game and competed during the one-day friendship game including coaches and former players of DLSU-D along with UAAP star, Tigress Maika Ortiz. The fund collected came from the event tickets bought by both participants and guests costing P100.
The players battling in the women’s tournament included DLSL Lady Chevrons, Team Batangas spearheaded by Apple Leyba, SPI Paranaque Panthers, DLSU-D volleybelles, EAC – M Lady Generals Team A and Team B, Team Isang Bagsak including Patriot Maribeth Lara, Team Bostik consisting of PAF players, and Team Varsity Alumni with sisters Iya and Iumi Yongco.
On the other hand, the teams who contended for the men’s division were Team Hidalgo captained by Mark Hidalgo, Team Haikyuu headed by DLSU Green Spiker Jopet Movido, Team Super with Joven Camaganakan as team captain, DLSU-D Patriots, Team General Trias, One Cavite A and B, Young Cavite, Freeball Uno and Dos, and Team Beastmode with DLSU-D volleyball coach Al-Frazin Abdulwahab.
Advancing to the finals, Team Varsity Alumni Patriot volleybelles led the standings after sweeping all the teams to gain a twice to beat advantage. As the first game of the championship commenced, Bostik and Alumni exchanged series of attacks to tie the game throughout the whole set, 23-all. However, Bostik’s middle blocker Ortiz closed out the first game with two quick attacks, 27-25. Despite trailing on the whole match, Team Alumni’s Iari Yongco outsmarted the opponent through aces, middle attacks, and open spikes, 19-12. Tightening their offense, Bostik paced by Ortiz and Pan Pantino continued to execute plays that damaged the opponent’s defense and wrapped up the championship match on a high note, 25-18.
Shoot for Life
Meanwhile, the Employees’ Wellness Through Sports event was re-organized and renamed as Shoot for life to also raise funds for both Viado and Rasing with a price of P100 per ticket.
Consisting of employees from Almer Manpower Corporation (AMC), security guards of DLSU-D, and faculty and admin staff, teams were divided and named after Physical Education (PE) Professors like Nedy Oraña, chair of the PE Department, Rodel Mercado, assistant coach of Patriot basketball team, and Rojales.
Team Oraña and Team Mercado jumped into the finals as they exchanged shots back and forth in the first quarter, 24-all. Oraña’s tight defense in the second quarter led to numerous errors leaving them falling behind Mercado’s consecutive charity shots, 39-26. Kicking off the third quarter, the momentum quickly shifted to Team Oraña after security guards Geric Gaviana and Jun Abadilla’s successive rainbow shots, 54-42. Concluding the game, Team Mercado and employee of AMC Ruben Pomarca turned the tables as he unleashed deadly fast breaks and victorious three-point shots that ended the game, 72-58.
