HFA spikers rule Shakey’s GVL elims

MANILA, Philippines - Holy Family Academy put its act together and upended fancied Holy Angel University, fashioning out a 25-21, 25-18, 25-12 victory to top the Central and Northern Luzon legs of the Shakey’s Girls’ Volleyball League at the AUF Sta. Barbara Campus gym in Angeles City recently.

The HFA spikers survived a first-set scare then sustained their form in the next before outhitting and outplaying the HAU side in the third to complete a surprise straight-set romp and advance to the Shakey’s Volleyball League of Champions, formerly the Tournament of Champions, set at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City early next year.

Republic Central Colleges took third place honors in the event organized by Metro Sports and backed by Mikasa, Asics, Volley Prep, Nature’s Spring, Sun Star, The Freeman Newspaper, Cebu Daily News, Sun Cellular and Millenia Suites.

HFA will thus join the other regional champions in the grand finals to be spiced up by the participation of teams from New Zealand, Australia, the US and Bangladesh, according to Metro Sports’ Johanz Buenvenida.

Meanwhile, the next regional meet, the National Capital Region, will be played Nov. 22, 23, 29 and 30 and Dec. 6-7 at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City with Hope Christian High School (Manila) as defending champion.

The Southern Luzon elims will be held Nov. 25-28 at La Salle Lipa while the League of Champions is set Jan. 11-16, 2015, also at the Ynares Sports Center.

The early finalists are Iligan City National High School, St. John’s Institute, Tagum City National High School and University of San Carlos.

The Shakey’s GVL has produced current top players and rising stars in Alyssa Valdez, Abby Maraño, Ara Galang, Mika Reyes and Kim Fajardo, sisters Dindin and Jaja Santiago, Jessey de Leon, Ennajie Laure, Mayet Zapanta, Amanda Villanueva and Bernadette Pons.