Report by Mary Ruth Orendain | Photos by Leean Margarette Magat
Gryffindor soared to the championship title in the men’s volleyball category of PalaCASSan 2024, securing a commanding 25-18, 25-18 victory against Ravenclaw in the gold medal match held on November 25 at the San Rafael Court.
Ravenclaw settled for silver, falling short by seven points in the second set. Meanwhile, Slytherin claimed the bronze medal after defeating Hufflepuff in a tight three-set match, ending with a dominant 15-8 score in the deciding set.
Undefeated throughout the tournament, Gryffindor attributed their success to meticulous preparation and collective effort.
“I think team effort naman talaga siya. Walang naiwan, hindi siya individual effort, lahat kami gumalaw, and ayon, sobrang thankful lang ako sa mga kateam ko,” Team Captain, Mark Ryan Salamanes shared.
In an interview about their preparation, Salamanes highlighted the weight of proper training,
“Nag proper training talaga kami kasi ‘yong goal talaga namin is ‘yong championship and ayon, collective effort talaga siya,” Salamanes added.
During the qualifying rounds, Ravenclaw proved their grit, sweeping Slytherin in two sets, 25-19, 25-16, to earn their spot in the championship match. However, Gryffindor’s defensive strategies and well-rounded attacks proved too formidable later in the championship match.
Despite the team's first domination, Ravenclaw’s journey to the finals according to ravenclaw's captain, Sean Calimquim, was far from smooth also, with challenges like near-default due to an incomplete lineup that tested their team's resolve.
"Actually, parang hindi siya preparation, more on parang last-second gabak lang siya," Calimquim recounted, adding that he had to step out of his role as libero and play as a regular player due to the circumstances, while also expressing the fortunate instance that their member catched-up just in time for a line up.
"It's a matter of ano lang talaga, sipag and tiyaga, na kunin namin ‘yong game kasi gusto talaga namin mag-championship eh. Even though konti lang ‘yong preparations namin, sinisikap pa rin namin ‘yong passion namin to play volleyball," Calimquim added.
The bronze medal match between Slytherin and Hufflepuff showcased a gripping contest of determination. Hufflepuff initially gained momentum with a 25-19 win in the first set, bolstered by Karl John Palad’s ace serves and his game-high 17 points. However, Slytherin rallied back, taking the second set 26-24 and dominating the third set 15-8 to secure the win.
Slytherin team captain Prince Marvel Mislang expressed pride in his team’s growth despite challenges.
“Kahit na alam namin na mahirap siya, ang nabuo namin is ‘yung tiwala namin sa isa’t-isa at ‘yong communication, which is alam naman natin na ‘yong team is parang shinuffle lang. So nagkasama-sama lang kami ngayon na hindi kami close, pero dahil sa sportsfest na naganap ngayon, parang pinag-isa kami–naging isa kami,” he shared.
“Sobrang pressured, sobrang kinakabahan kanina lalo na malakas kalaban namin eh, pero ayon pinagkatiwalaan lang talaga namin ‘yong system na ginawa namin and tiwala lang sa isa’t-isa,” he exclaimed, after their first battle with Ravenclaw.
In the finals, Robert Magsilang of Ravenclaw delivered a strong performance, trailing his team with eight points across three sets. Meanwhile, Hufflepuff captain Francisco, who played for the lower bracket despite earlier injury, rose to the occasion, demonstrating resilience in leadership during their close-fought battle with Slytherin.
“Despite na maraming ginagawa sa school, binigyan, siningit pa rin namin ‘yung time para makapag-training,” Francisco shared about their preparation.
With the conclusion of the PalaCASSan 2024 men’s volleyball tournament, players are now setting their sights on the next challenge. Some are eager to scout fresh talent and refine their strategies as they gear up for the upcoming intramurals, promising even more intense competition and greater displays of teamwork in the future.
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