BONIFACIO Global City (BGC) and Cebu won with a flourish on Saturday to advance to the semifinals of the inaugural AIA Vitality Women’s Kampeon Cup at the McKinley Hill Stadium.
Team BGC clobbeted Pampanga, 12-1, and Muntinlupa, 5-1, in Group A action behind superb performances from Shelah Mae Cadag, Maegan Alforque, Agot Danton, Charisa Lemoran and Joyce Semacio.
Cebu, on the other hand, took care of Batangas, 5-3, and Palawan, 6-0, to advance to Sunday’s semifinals from Group B in the event sponsored by TapGo TV, the official broadcaster of the tournament, 7×7, Palaro, Blaze Athletics and Mansion Sports Bar and Lounge.
Muntinlupa—behind Hazel Lustan, Danielle Tangjango, Nicole Ramores and Mai Martinez—also advanced to the semifinals with a 3-0 shutout of Pampanga.
Palawan claimed the last seat to the knockout rounds with a 2-1 win over Batangas.
Shane Cosgrove’s Team BGC picked apart their opponents with an uptempo game where quick diagonal passing and relentless pressure harried their opponents to no end.
Muntinlupa, which opened the tournament and displayed great skill against Pampanga, was overwhelmed.
Pampanga’s goal keeper Bim Capuno registered more than a dozen saves in the first half as her squad struggled to get into Muntinlupa’s final third.
Capuno had to go out to seek treatment after the right side of her face swelled following an inadvertent knee while saving the ball.
Her replacement in the second half, Kate Herrera, stopped the first three shots at goal, but conceded two in a mad two minutes that changed the complexion of the match.
Capuno returned but Muntinlupa’s Mary Loise Defante scored the insurance goal. Sunday semifinals pit Team BGC against Palawan and Cebu against Muntinlupa.
