Hope, NU show way in girls volley

MANILA, Philippines - Hope Christian High School came away with a pair of straight-set wins to kick off its drive while National U matched the defending champion’s big start in the Shakey’s Girls’ Volleyball League Season 12 National Capital Region leg at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig last weekend.

Hope Christian overpowered Academy of God’s Children, 25-16, 25-18, then trounced De La Salle-Zobel, 25-16, 25-14, to sweep its first two matches in Pool A of the three-weekend elims serving as the final leg of the seven-stage nationwide elims sponsored by Shakey’s.

NU also scored two victories each in Pool B, clobbering the Rizal High School and the Angelicum College sides, 25-8, 25-16, and 27-25, 25-8, respectively, in the event backed by Mikasa, Asics, Volley Prep, Nature’s Spring, Sun Star, The Freeman Newspaper, Cebu Daily News, Sun Cellular and Millenia Suites.

Meanwhile, action resumes today and tomorrow, also at the Ynares gym, with HCS going for No. 3 against Grace Christian College at 3 p.m. after the 2 p.m. clash between AGC and King’s Montessori School, which edged La Salle-Zobel in a thrilling three-setter, 34-30, 14-25, 25-20, also last week.

UST, meanwhile, hopes to recover lost grounds as it faces RHS at 4 p.m. while Escuela de Sophia of Caloocan, Inc. which nipped RHS, 25-9, 13-25, 25-20, clashes with Angelicum College in the main game at 5 p.m.

On Sunday, HCS will take on KMS, while UST, EDS and La Salle-Zobel will tangle with ANC, National U and Grace Christian College, respectively.

The NCR leg winner will join the champions of the other regional elims in the League of Champions set Jan. 11-16, 2015 at the Ynares Sports Center in Pasig City. They include La Salle-A, Iligan City National High School, St. John’s Institute, Tagum City National High School, University of San Carlos and Holy Family Academy.

The finals cast will be spiced up by the participation of foreign teams from Australia, New Zealand, Bangladesh and the US, according to according to Metro Sports’ Johanz Buenvenida.