Perpetual spikers make presence felt

After two weeks of action, University of Perpetual Help asserted its dominance as it dominated the volleyball tournament of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 100.

The Lady Altas and the Altas zoomed to a 3-0 win-loss start in the women’s and men’s division, respectively, and took an early control of the 10-team standings with Winnie Bedaña and Jeff Marapoc standing at the forefront to lead the way.

Their solid efforts and leadership earned them the first Collegiate Press Corps NCAA Players of the Week, presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, for the period of 20 February to 1 March.

With the departure of veterans such as Mary Rhose Dapol and Razel Aldea, fourth-year Bedaña stepped up to the plate in their three wins against San Beda, Jose Rizal University (JRU) and Lyceum of the Philippines University in the previous weeks.

In Perpetual’s first win last 22 February against San Beda, Bedaña had 11 points as the Lady Altas swept the Lady Red Spikers, 25-18, 28-26, 25-16.

She followed it up with another solid performance on 27 February when she scored 20 from 15 attacks, three aces, and two blocks in a 25-17, 22-25, 25-14, 25-22 victory over JRU before firing 17 points on 15 attacks and two blocks against Lyceum, 25-22, 25-21, 25-17.

“I just show my courage in every game,” said Bedaña, who bested her teammate Shaila Omipon as well as Mycah Go and Clydel Catarig of College of Saint Benilde and Heart Villaflores of Arellano University for the weekly honor backed by minor sponsors Discovery Suites and World Balance.

“Just like in our first game against JRU, I didn’t have a good start. But after our coaches called me out, I showed my courage because my younger teammates are banking on me. They have to see that I am fighting inside the court.”

Marapoc, meanwhile, continued to rise to the occasion instead of folding against the pressure after the departure of back-to-back Most Valuable Player (MVP) Louie Ramirez and the untimely passing of former head coach Sammy Acaylar.

Marapoc, last season’s Finals MVP, had 15 points anchored on 14 attacks, on top of six excellent digs, and 15 excellent receptions in their debut win against San Beda, 25-22, 31-29, 25-23, followed by 13 points, 10 excellent receptions, and six excellent digs in their 25-20, 25-21, 25-19 victory against JRU.

His best performance came last Saturday after a 24-point outing in Perpetual’s 25-15, 25-16, 22-25, 19-25, 15-9 squeaker over LPU, where he also had 12 excellent receptions.

With the adversity Perpetual has encountered even before the season started, Marapoc said embracing the pressure is the difference.

The third-year outside hitter trumped teammate Kobe Tabuga, Ruther Abor and Paul Justine Say of Emilio Aguinaldo College, Ar-Jay Ramos and Barbie San Andres of Mapua University and Rocky Roy Motol of Saint Benilde for the weekly citation being deliberated and voted upon by print and online media covering the collegiate beat.