La Salle-Dasma volleybelles repeat as NCRAA queens

La Salle-Dasmariñas leaned on the heroics of Jennifer Manzano to stun Rizal Technological University, 16-25, 25-23, 20-25, 25-20, 15-13, and win the 17th NCRAA women's volleyball crown at the DLSU-Health and Science Institute in Dasmariñas. A prized recruit from Pangasinan and a many-time member of the school's beach volleyball teams, Manzano made the crucial points when needed during an exciting fifth set as the Lady Patriots secured their second straight crown and sixth overall. She was later adjudged as the league's Most Valuable Player for her strong play.

The Cavite-based volleybelles actually fell to the Lady Thunder in the series opener but were able to force a rubber match following a 26-24, 22-25,25-21, 25-21 victory in Game 2. Manzano scored the team's last three points. She and Regina Tungol tied the count at 13-all by blocking a spike from Ferus Agang then got support from Jehshul Wensh Tiu in blocking Agang, RTU's main offensive firepower, to take the lead once more. From there, Manzano put the finishing touches when she scored a drop ball off Marishelle Tagudin and Claire Cagampang as DLSU-D survived an excruciating two-hour, 52-minute affair. “We anticipated the strength of RTU. Kaya kapit lang kami. Mas maganda at masarap itong championship na ito dahil malakas na kalaban ang RTU. They deserve the title," said coach Darwin Campana. It was the second year in a row that the Lady Patriots took the crown at the expense of RTU, having swept the Lady Thunder a season ago. Lefty April Almaden, last season's MVP, helped set up a deciding set when she made key points to help DLSU-D erase a 14-15 deficit in the fourth set. Aside from Manzano, the other individual awardees were Almaden (best spiker); Agang (best receiver); Precious Abano (best server); Rose Bosante (best setter) and Jane Nunag (best libero). - GMANews.TV