HEAVYWEIGHTS National University-Nazareth School (NU-NS), California Academy, Bacolod Tay Tung High School and Naga College Foundation take the floor in the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League knockout Final Four on Saturday at the San Andres Gym in Malate, Manila.
After wiping out their respective groups and quarterfinals foes, the remaining four teams cross paths in a revelation semifinals cast that features three provincial squads against a lone city team with the coveted finals seats at stake.
NU-NS and California Academy from Antipolo get the first crack at in the opener at 9 a.m. followed by the brewing rivalry down south pitting Bacolod Tay Tung High School and Naga College Foundation at 12 noon.
Carrying the biggest bounty on their heads, the Lady Bullpups as the reigning University Athletic Association of the Philippines juniors champion brace for an all-out resistance in the win-or-go-home match of the 16-team GVIL backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Potato Corner, Peri-Peri and R&B Tea with the City of Manila as government cooperation partner.
“This is it, the matches get tougher and tougher,” NU-NS coach Vilet Ponce-De Leon said. “We expect our opponents to have something new on their plate. We’ll be ready.”
“We played NU multiple times already. This time around, I think we’re a little bit healthier. We respect the NU program so it’s gonna be a fun match. It should be a very good one,” said California Academy mentor Obet Vital in another encounter with NU-NS after their close wars in different high school tilts.
The spotlight, however, is not on NU-NS and California only as Bacolod and Naga promise an equally explosive battle to further prove that Philippine volleyball also blossoms bright outside the ‘Big City’.
“Maybe, many are surprised for the provincial teams to be in the semifinals, but this proves we can match up,” Naga coach Parley Tupaz said.
“We’ll give it our best shot, regardless of how tough our opponents are,” Bacolod coach Ian Macariola said.
FEU-Diliman tangles with Adamson at 2 p.m. while University Santo Tomas battles La Salle Lipa at 4 p.m. in the classification matches of the league also powered by Mikasa, Team Rebel Sports, Toby’s Sports, Genius Sports and SM Tickets.
All games of Shakey’s GVIL, in partnership with Athletic Events and Sports Management Inc., (ACES), will be broadcasted live and on-demand through all social media platforms courtesy of Plus Network with CNN Philippines, Solar Sports and Tap Sports as TV partners.
