California Academy bagged the inaugural Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League (GVIL) crown, beating Naga College Foundation, 25-18, 18-25, 25-14, 25-19, Saturday night at San Andres Gym in Malate, Manila.
Jelaica Gajero, the Best Opposite Spiker, fired 18 points while Most Valuable Player Casiey Dongallo hammered 17 as the dynamic duo helped cap the Antipolo City-based squad’s incredible run.
Jenalyn Umayam added 13 more points for California Academy, which completed a 5-0 sweep of the high school tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Potato Corner, Peri-Peri and R&B Tea with the City of Manila as a government cooperation partner.
“It wasn’t a perfect game as Naga played really well. We’re glad that in the end, history is made and the girls won the first Shakey’s GVIL. We’re proud of that,” said coach Obet Vital.
California Academy’s impressive campaign included a stunning win against reigning UAAP juniors champion National U-Nazareth School in the Final Four.
Still, the road to the summit of success was not a walk in the park as the California Academy spikers needed everything they could handle to hold off the resilient Naga side.
As Gajero and Dongallo set the tone in a 25-18 start, Naga refused to go down without a fight behind Arah Ellah Panique to spark a 10-3 start and equalize with a similar score, 25-18.
Umayam then joined the party, conspiring with Gajero and Dongallo for a lethal troika in their 25-14 snowball in the third set before erasing a 2-5 deficit in the fourth for the clincher.
Panique, the Best Outside Hitter, posted a game-high 19 points while Nathasza Kaye Bombita added 15 in the valiant runner-up finish of the Parley Tupaz-mentored Naga team, which had to brave long hours of travel every week just to play here.
All games of Shakey’s GVIL, in partnership with Athletic Events and Sports Management, Inc., (ACES), are accessible on all social media platforms courtesy of Plus Network with CNN Philippines, Solar Sports and Tap Sports as TV partners.
