OUTSIDE hitter Myla Pablo and setter Gyzelle Sy finally ended years title-less frustration after leading Pocari Sweat to the throne of the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Open Conference.
With De La Salle and Ateneo De Manila trading University Athletic Association of the Philippines ladies volleyball championships the past seven years neither the power hitting captain of the National University Lady Bulldogs Pablo nor the cerebral setter of the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws Sy tasted the sweetness of a championship with their respective schools.
That thirst for a championship was finally quenched after they led Pocari to the championship over the Air Force Lady Jet Spikers.
Pablo, adjudged as the league’s second best outside hitter, was unstoppable with her booming spikes and cannon ball serves. She would eventually win the Most Valuable Player of the championship award.
Pocari Sweat outlasted Air Force, 29-27, 18-25, 25-21, 25-19, in the deciding Game Three to clinch the Shakey’s V-League Season 13-Open Conference title before a cheering crowd at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
Pablo fired a game-high 23 hits, including 21 on spikes, to power the Lady Warriors to a 2-1 championship series victory over the Lady Jet Spikers.
The former National U star was equally outstanding in Game 2. He pumped in 19 points in a 17-25, 25-22, 25-14, 25-20 victory to cop the Finals MVP.
Elaine Kasilag backed up Pablo with 15 points while team captain Michelle Gumabao chipped in 12 hits, including two blocks. Lutgarda Malaluan added eight markers and setter Sy scored seven points, the last two clinching the win and the championship for Pocari.
The Lady Warriors came out of the third and fourth sets with clutch hits then wore down the Lady Jet Spikers in tightly contested finish to seal the crown.
Pocari interim coach Rommel Abella praised his players for showing the heart of a champion.
“We were coming of a 0-1 deficit in the finals. We had never won a game against Air Force in our two games. We came back by fighting hard and we were rewarded with a championship,” Abella said in a published report.
Air Force setter Wendy Ann Semana, also a former FEU volleyball star like Sy, had more excellent sets. But Sy delivered the killer blows on dinks and dished the sets which led to more scoring opportunities for her team.
Pablo said her biggest disappointment was in failing to give her school a UAAP title which made the Shakey’s V-League triumph even more memorable. She said she was not thinking of the Finals MVP award. She was just thinking of winning the title for her team.
Sy on the other hand relied not just on sets to help her team win but on cannonball serves including a title-clinching service ace.
The pint-sized playmaker was instrumental in the Lady Warriors’ demolition of the Jet Spikers. She had eight points, including the title-clinching service ace for the league newcomer.
Sy said she will resume her coaching stint at Far Eastern University Diliman. However she has no plans of retiring and promise to suit up again for Pocari Sweat in the Reinforced Conference.
Joy Cases finished with 20 hits. Jocemer Tapic and May Ann Pantino each chipped in 13 points for the Jet Spikers, who emerged the surprise top seed team in the elimination round before foiling BaliPure in the Final Four.