LIPA City—Mark Calado powered Team Dasmariñas to a thrilling 25-20, 30-28, 20-25, 21-25, 18-16 victory over the VNS Manileño Spikers to arrange a championship duel with Go for Gold-Air Force in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation Champions League for men on Friday at the Aquamarine Recreational Center here.
When the chips were down, the Monarchs turned to Calado, who scored all but one of his 28 points from spikes as they withstood the Manileño Spikers’ fightback from two sets down to emerge victorious in the semifinal.
Madzlan Gampong had three blocks for a 17-point effort while Ronniel Rosales chipped in 13 points, including for the Monarchs.
It will be a battle of the undefeated teams for the gold, as the Monarchs (4-0) and the Aguilas (3-0) go for all the marbles at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Aside from earning the distinction as the first-ever Champions League winners, the champions will also become the Philippines representative to the Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship in Urmia, Iran on May 15-22, 2022.
The Monarchs simply held their composure after the Manileño Spikers rallied back from two sets down to force a fifth set.
“I told my teammates to stay calm. I simply wanted to win,” said Calado, who scored back-to-back kills to put the Monarchs at match-point.
Setter Cian Silang then drilled in a service ace to ice the game for the Monarchs.
The Monarchs played without head coach Norman Miguel, who was quarantined on Friday for breaking health protocols. He had to undergo another antigen test and will be available for the gold medal match on Saturday if he yields a negative result.
“We lost our composure in the third and fourth set. I told them before the fifth set we should not end our journey here. We should keep our focus to our goal,” said skipper Jayvee Sumagaysay, who fired three service aces.
“I told my teammates that even without coach (Norman), he is not the one who is playing. He is simply our guide. We are the ones who are performing inside the court. As a team captain, I told them to stay together,” he added.
Despite the tremendous odds against them, Sumagaysay remains upbeat that the Monarchs can pull off a reversal in the tournament that has Rebisco, Pitmaster Foundation Inc., Top Speed, 1Pacman Partylist, Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee as platinum sponsors and F2 Logistics, Asics, PLDT, MVP Sports Foundation and Mikasa as gold sponsors and BCDA, Philippine Red Cross, Lipa City, Davis Paint and Emerald PVC Pipes, Fittings and Doors as silver sponsors with PNVF godfather, Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, chairman of the Champions League, giving his full support.
“I don’t think about it, because in the first place, volleyball is a team sport. For me, we have the edge because we are one,” said Sumagaysay on facing the Aguilas, some of them are his former teammates in the national team.
Benedict San Andres, Kevin Montemayor and Benjaylo Labide had 16 points apiece for the Manileño Spikers.
The VNS Manileño Spikers will take on Global Remit for the bronze at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.