Back-to-back women’s volleyball title for dominant NCR

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — Total domination.

National Capital Region pummeled Central Visayas in a brutal championship sweep, silencing the hosts, 25-12, 25-7, 25-1 in the 2013 Palarong Pambansa secondary girls volleyball finals at the Foundation University Gym here.

The Big City spikers leaned on their bevy of attackers and the service ace barrage of Justine Dorog to frustrate crowd favorite Central Visayas and bag the title for the second straight year.

Despite beating favored teams like Western Visayas and Northern Mindanao on their way to the finals, Central Visayas came into the finals as heavy underdogs.

And in probably the most lopsided championship battle in Palaro history, it was obvious why.

Kim Dy, Des Cheng and Dorog jumpstarted the defending champs’ campaign with a solid first set, and with Region VII unable to set their offense due to poor reception and execution, NCR cruised to a 25-12 opening set win.

Things got terribly worse for Central Visayas in the last two sets, especially in the final frame, where they could only score one point — the lowest output in this year’s tournament.

Dorog paced NCR with a tournament-high output of 24 points off 10 kills and 14 aces — in just three sets — while ex-UAAP juniors MVP and 2013 Palaro Best Blocker Kim Dy added 14 markers spiked by 8 attacks, 4 blocks and 2 aces.

Desiree Cheng, named MVP of the 2013 Palaro, added 8 points even as 2012 Palaro MVP Ana Gopico chipped in with 4 for coach Jerry Yee, who will be handling University of the Philippines in Season 76.

The Big City spikers connected on 36 attacks and served up a total of 16 aces in a dominant performance.

Best Receiver Dianne Darantinao and Best Attacker Cherry Rondina led Central Visayas in scoring with 3 points as regular leaders Janelle Cabahug and Rica Rivera could only score 2 markers.

In the men’s division, Calabarzon outlasted 2012 champs NCR, 25-21, 25-17, 19-25, 13-25, 15-11, to win their first secondary volleyball title. – Rappler.com