By ADRIAN STEWART CO
SAN CARLOS City – Bacolod Tay Tung High School Thunderbolts swept their opponents to rule the 2022 Rebisco 18-and-under Volleyball League Western Visayas Qualifiers on Thursday night at the San Carlos City Auditorium here.
ed by Katherine Shaine Cortez, the Thunderbolts reclaimed the championship with a 25-12 25-13 25-14 victory over La Paz National High School-Iloilo City Sports Academy in the finale.
Cortez was later hailed as the Most Valuable Player and Best Setter, while teammates Dona Mae De Leon (1st Best Middle Blocker), Ana Hermosura (1st Best Outside Attacker) and Jothea Ramos (Best Opposite Attacker) were also cited.
Also part of the Bacolod Tay Tung roster were Amber Lily Biong, Kimberly Rubin, Jihan Chuatico, Rhose Viane Almendralejo, Patricia Hiponia, Alijah Ysulan, Camila Bartolome and Alex Montoro.
For ruling the regional qualifiers, the Thunderbolts once again earned the right to represent Western Visayas in the Rebisco Volleyball League National Finals slated from December 9 to 14 in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
“We are happy to be back as champions here in the Rebisco Regional Qualifiers,” said Thunderbolts assistant coach Roberto Calamba Jr. “The players showed their heart and displayed their determination to win.”
“It is also nice to earn the right to represent our province Western Visayas once again in the return of the Rebisco National Finals this year from almost two-year COVID-19 pandemic hiatus,” he added.
The Thunderbolts also represented Region 6 in the last Rebisco Volleyball League Nationals prior to the pandemic with the team led by now University of the Philippines players Alyssa Bertolano, Joan Marie Monares and Nikha Cabasac.
La Paz National High School-ICSA of head coach Jiggy Gallo, meanwhile, did not go home empty handed from the two-day qualifiers with Rhea Mae Tomas being named as Best Libero.
Other individual awardees from the Western Visayas Qualifiers were Sofia Kathrina Dela Cruz of Trinity Christian School as 2nd Best Outside Spiker and Meka Calderon of Hua Siong College of Iloilo as 2nd Best Middle Blocker./PN
