UAAP Volleyball: Marano, Galang named co-MVPs

MANILA, Philippines — De La Salle University teammates Abi Marano and Ara Galang have been named co-Most Valuable Players of the 75th UAAP women’s volleyball tournament — the first such occurrence in the country’s premiere collegiate athletic league.

Marano, who won her second straight MVP plum, and Galang, last season’s Rookie of the Year, led the Lady Spikers to a 13-1 record in the elimination round and on the verge of a third straight championship.

Marano anchored La Salle’s stonewall-like defense and averaged 10.9 points highlighted by 3.1 blocks en route to winning the Best Blocker award while the powerful Galang normed 12.6 points off 9.6 kills, 1.7 blocks and 1.3 service aces in her second season in the UAAP.

Galang finished seventh in scoring, sixth in blocking, eighth in attacking (32.92% success rate) and 10th in digging (6.8 digs/game) in a brilliant all-around tournament-long performance.

Meanwhile, co-MVPs were also chosen in the men’s division, with University of Santo Tomas’ Mark Gil Alfafara and La Salle’s Red Christensen bagging the award.

Alfafara wounded up second in scoring behind Adamson offensive machine Ron Jay Galang, putting up 15.4 points per outing while hitting 11.2 kills, 2.9 blocks and 1.4 aces for the Tigresses, who narrowly missed out on a Final Four spot this year.

The Golden Spiker also copped the Best Blocker award and ended his stint as ninth in attacking and second in serving.

On the other hand, Christensen ended Season 75 with 12.0 points per game while finishing seventh in attacking, and eighth in blocking as the Green Spikers placed third in the tourney.

National University’s Aiko Sweet Urdas and Adamson University’s Nikko Ramirez were also chosen as Rookie of the Year in the women’s and men’s division, respectively. – Rappler.com

 

Complete list of awardees

Men’s Volleyball

Best Scorer – Ron Jay Galang, Adamson University

Best Attacker – Peter Den Mar Torres, National University

Best Blocker – Mark Gil Alfafara, University of Santo Tomas

Best Server – Arvin Avila, Far Eastern University

Best Digger – Carlo Almario, University of the East

Best Setter – Vincent Raphael Mangulabnan, National University

Best Receiver – Arvin Avila, Far Eastern University

Rookie of the Year – Nikko Ramirez, Adamson University

MVPs for the Season

Mark Gil Alfafara, University of Santo Tomas

Red Christensen, De La Salle University

 

 

Women’s Volleyball

Best Scorer – Alyssa Valdez, Ateneo de Manila University

Best Attacker – Myla Pablo, National University

Best Blocker – Abigail Marano, De La Salle University

Best Server – Shiela Marie Pineda, Adamson University

Best Digger – Jennylyn Reyes, National University

Best Setter – Jamenea Ferrer, Ateneo de Manila University

Best Receiver – Jennylyn Reyes, National University

Rookie of the Year – Aiko Urdas, National University

 

MVPs for the Season

Abigail Marano, De La Salle University

Victonara Galang, De La Salle University