Bacolod Tay Tung set to defend crown, join two other Visayas champs in Rebisco Volleyball League National Finals

Visayas seeks to continue proving that the finest girls’ volleyball players in the Philippines are found in its major island group as two regional dynasties and another worthy champion look forward to fly to Manila for the Rebisco Volleyball League (RVL) National Finals from November 22 to 25 in Mandaluyong.

Defending national champion Bacolod Tay Tung High School, University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R), and Linao National High School are set to represent their respective regions after ruling the regional finals of the biggest 18-and-under women’s volleyball tournament in the country that attracted 480 schools from 10 regions this year.

Bacolod Tay Tung is eager to keep showing why it’s the best high school volleyball squad not just in its region, but also in the entire country after emerging as the Western Visayas champion. USJ-R will represent Central Visayas, while Linao came out as the clear winner from Eastern Visayas. 

All eyes are on the Bacolod Tay Tung Thunderbolts, the reigning national champions who seek to prove their victory last year was no fluke. 

The Thunderbolts left their regional opponents stunned. Their 25-4, 25-5 win over Buenavista National High School in their second game of the prequalifying leg was proof of how they dominated the rest of their regional campaign.

Tay Tung also defeated Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion and Northwestern Visayan Colleges in their prequalifying group, then beat Central Philippine University in crossover semifinal, before eliminating St. John’s Institute in the prequalifying finale. Picking up from where they left off, the Thunderbolts reigned supreme in the eight-team regional finals to earn the right to represent West Visayas once again.

To show how stacked Bacolod Tay Tung lineup is, the Thunderbolts bagged all but two of the individual regional awards. 

Ann Francesca Hermosura stood tallest as she was named MVP and Second Best Middle Blocker. Rhea Mae Tomas was adjudged Best Libero, while Jan Rose Bulak was picked Best Setter. Tay Tung also occupied the Best Opposite Attacker and First Best Outside Hitter slots in Joenil Ann Ramos and Camila Amor Bartolome, respectively. St. John’s Institute standouts Eileen Yanson (Second Best Outside Hitter) and Cafra Celois (First Best Middle Blocker) were the two other awardees.

USJ-R, which captured bronze in the last national finals, likewise went undefeated in this edition of the East Visayas prequalifiers. The Lady Jaguars beat Sumaliring High School, Central Visayan Institute Foundation, and Tanjay National High School in the group stage, took out Cabancalan National High School in the crossover Final Four, before overwhelming Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu in the prequalifying finale. The Lady Jaguars also bested seven other teams in the regional finals.

Rachel Ann Tecson led the way for the Lady Jaguars as she emerged as the regional MVP, while also getting sufficient support from teammates Mary Antoneth Cortes (Best Setter) and Angel Mae Almonia (Second Best Middle Blocker). Cabancalan National High School featured two awardees in Fatima Panilagan (Best Libero) and Hannah Fabia (First Best Outside Hitter). Ateneo de Cebu also had two award winners in Zildian Basiga (Best Opposite Attacker) and Flordeliz Galvez (First Best Middle Blocker). Sarah Angel Mae Aguinid of Tanjay National High School was the other award recipient as the Second Best Outside Hitter. 

Linao National High School, for its part, displayed why it’s worthy to join Visayan powerhouses Bacolod Tay Tung and USJ-R in the national finals after coming out as the last team standing in Eastern Visayas.

In the prequalifiers, the Ormoc-based Linao team beat Liloan National Technical and Vocational High School, Granja Kalinawan National High School, and Calbayog City National High School in the group phase, Wright National High School in the crossover semis, before taking out Leyte National High School in the final. Linao did the same in the eight-team regional finals to become the best East Visayan team.

Mary Joy Aseo shone brightest for Linao, being named MVP as well as First Best Outside Hitter. While she carried the offensive load, teammate Leanah Monique Solis stood as the first line of defense to be named Second Best Middle Blocker.

Leyte National High School took consolation by having the most individual awardees in Zhybelle Faye Pacure (Best Libero), Dhulcea Maine Morales (Best Setter), Nadeth Faye Herbon (Best Opposite Attacker), and Julia Dimatawaran (First Best Middle). Mary Rose Abamo of Wright National High School was the other awardee as the Second Best Outside Hitter.

Giving less-heralded public schools like Linao National High and Leyte National High a national platform is exactly the inclusivity RVL tournament director Johanz Buenvenida wants.

“Sabi ko nga sa mga teams, especially public schools, ‘Don’t worry, you need not compete sa mga UAAP or NCAA. Meron na tayong Rebisco Volleyball League na instead na kayo ang pupunta, kami ang pupunta para sa inyo dyan. And then you can have a league that you can look forward to each year,” said Buenvenida, who was once a public school coach at Maximo Estrella elementary school for 10 years before moving up the ranks to become an international coach level 1.

RVL commissioner Ysay Marasigan agreed, saying he also wants other provincial teams to shine. 

“Ang ine-envision ko talaga is ayusin ang operations ng RVL hanggang sa mapalaki namin pa para mas maraming top teams ang makasali. And pag lumipad sila dito for the national finals, talagang magiging magandang laban yun. Makikita natin ang level ng provinces, nasaan yung level ng Manila,” Marasigan said.

“And we can also see kung ano pa yung kailangan i-improve for the lower levels sa Visayas and Mindanao para mapataas pa yung level nila para maging kapantay ng NCR,” the former Ateneo star and current Criss Cross King Crunchers team captain added. 

Bacolod Tay Tung, USJ-R, and Linao National High School join Mindanao regional titlists Sto. Niño National High School, Corpus Christi School, and Notre Dame of Dadiangas University in the national finals, while four more spots are up for grabs in the ongoing Luzon regional leg.