Perpetual wins PUVL men’s, women’s titles

By Dennis Abrina

THE Perpetual Altas spikers ruled both the men’s and women’s divisions of the recent Philippine University Volleyball League tournament on Sunday at the Altas Gym in Pamplona III, Las Piñas City.

The men’s team defended its title by dispatching their challengers from De La Salle University-Dasma in straight sets, 25-20, 25-20, 25-22.

Altas playmaker JC Enarciso was named the season’s Most Valuable Player and Best Setter, while NCAA MVP

Louie Ramirez was adjudged as 1st Best Outside Spiker.

Sammy Acaylar was named as Coach of the Year.

In the women’s side, the Perpetual Lady Altas dethroned last year’s champions, the Mapua Lady Cardinals in three sets, 25-20, 25-19, 29-27.

Caviteña rookie Shaila Omipon was named Most Valuable Player and 1st Best Outside Spiker, while NCAA Most Valuable Player Rhose Dapol was named 2nd Best Outside Spiker. Sandy Rieta was also named Coach of the Year.

Other Lady Altas players, who received individual accolades were Jhasmine Sapin as Best setter, Marian Andal as Best Libero and Winnie Bedaña as 1st Middle Blocker

Men’s team individual awards had Michael Medalla of UPH being adjudged as 2nd Best Middle Blocker, and Klint Mateo being named Best Opposite Spiker.

The dominance of the Perpetual Spikers in the PUVL comes after the Perpetual Altas men’s basketball reached the semifinals of the recent FilOil EcoOil Preseason Cup.

The Altas hope to use their winning ways in these two preseason tournaments to better their performances in their coming campaigns, including the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Beeche also expects a capacity crowd the same day in Auckland where tournament co-hosts New Zealand—the “Football Ferns”—open their campaign against Norway.

“It’s going to be a massive day for women’s football,” he said of the doubleheader either side of the Tasman Sea.

With less than 25 days until kick off, the tournament boss says only a “few thousand” tickets are left for New Zealand’s opening game at Eden Park, where capacity will be just under 40,000.

“Yes, definitely” Beeche replied when asked whether the Auckland stadium would be sold out for the opener, despite fears about the tournament’s low ticket sales in New Zealand.

Football’s governing body FIFA has said around 1.1 million tickets have been sold for the 64 matches in Australia and New Zealand.

FIFA’s head of women’s football Sarai Bareman has voiced concern about low World Cup ticket sales in New Zealand, where the co-hosts are struggling for form.

The Football Ferns approach the tournament on a 10-match winless streak with one chance left to get a morale-boosting win in a final home friendly against Vietnam on July 10.

Beeche said 270,000 tickets had so far been sold in New Zealand and 830,000 in Australia. Those unequal numbers reflect the population sizes of Australia, where 26 million people live, and New Zealand, which is home to five million, he insisted.

“When you look at the Matildas being a high-ranked team and the Football Ferns’ run of form, New Zealand is doing pretty well,” he said. AFP