Hope outlasts CSA, keeps Shakey’s volley crown

MANILA, Philippines - Hope Christian High School wore down Colegio San Agustin in a grueling fourth set battle and hacked out a 25-19, 19-25, 25-14, 29-27 victory to retain the Shakey’s Girls’ Volleyball League NCR leg crown at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum last Sunday.

The Hope Christian tossers took the opener then recovered from a second set meltdown with an imposing third set win but had to fend off a gritty CSA stand in the fourth to snatch the win and the championship plus the coveted berth in the Tournament of Champions next month.

Justine Dorog unloaded 18 attacks and finished with two blocks and three service aces while Desiree Cheng, Bel Molde and Chester Ong backed her up with their power game to scuttle the CSA spikers’ bid in the tournament sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza and organized by Metro Sports.

Dorog also went on to bag the MVP honors in the six-week long tournament, backed by Toby’s Sports, Mikasa as official ball, Tune Hotels as official residence of T-of-C, Asics and Volley Prep, that featured the top Big City volley schools. She also took the best attacker award while Cheng won the best blocker honors.

The organizing Metro Sports later announced the CSA also gained a berth in the T-of-C slated Jan. 22-26 either at Rizal Coliseum or at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Hope and CSA will be joined by the other winners in various regional tournaments, including Southern Luzon champion De La Salle-Lipa and Western Visayas leg titlist Central Philippine University, in the T-of-C.

Spicing up the T-of-C is the participation of Australia’s Victoria High School team, according to tournament director Johanz Buenvenida.