The men’s team of Offa Volleyball Club and the women’s squad of Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Spikers Abuja celebrated as the 2023 Nigeria Premier League champions. They will represent Nigeria at next year’s Africa Clubs Championship. Meanwhile, University of Santo Tomas (UST) Manila and College of Saint Benilde (CSB) Manila won the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Challenge Cup trophies for men and women, respectively.
Nigeria
Nine men’s and nine women’s teams participated in the Premier League, which was played in a round-robin format over two phases. The teams with the highest points tally after Phase II were crowned champions. Offa beat Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) Abuja 3-1 (25-18, 22-25, 25-19, 25-17) on the last day of Phase II action to emerge on top of the standings with 37 points from 16 matches. Heading into the last day of action, Offa had 34 points while NSCDC had 35 points, but it was the defending champions who won the crucial decider to retain their title for the second consecutive season. Kano Pillars finished third with 30 points to claim the bronze medal.
Offa players and officials celebrate as 2023 Nigeria Men’s Premier League champions (Photo credits: Nigeria Volleyball Federation)
In the women’s category, CNS Spikers rallied from a set down to beat NSCDC Abuja 3-1 (18-25, 25-19, 25-18, 25-17) in the final league match and win their first-ever league title in their first season in the Premier League. The newly promoted club went into the last day of action level with NSCDC on 43 points each and needed a win of any kind to win the historic title. After losing the first set, they picked themselves up to win the next three and emerge champions on 46 points from 16 matches. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Spikers Abuja claimed bronze with 36 points, after beating Kwara United Ilorin by 3-0 (25-7, 25-8, 25-21).
CNS Spikers celebrate as 2023 Nigeria Women’s Premier League champions (Photo credits: Nigeria Volleyball Federation)
Philippines
The PNVF Challenge Cup finals were held on Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in the capital of the Philippines, Manila. In the five-set men’s showdown, Santo Tomas produced a hard-fought 3-2 (20-25, 25-22, 25-22, 19-25, 15-13) victory over defending champions Cignal HD Spikers Manila to celebrate their first trophy in the competition. Joshua Ybanez led the Tigers with 26 points. A five-set battle also unfolded in the third-place match earlier in the day, with VNS Asereht Quezon City claiming the bronze after an epic 3-2 (32-34, 23-25, 26-24, 25-23, 15-13) win over NU Bulldogs Manila.
Joshua Ybanez was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 20-team tournament. The outside hitter was also named on the Super Team along with setter Jerome Lopez (VNS), opposite Sherwin Umandal (UST), outside hitter Rey Miguel De Vega (UST), middle blockers JP Bugaoan (Cignal) and Edlyn Paul Colinares (UST), and libero Manuel Sumanguid III (Cignal).
The women’s final was a straight-set affair as Saint Benilde (pictured in the main photo; credits: PNVF) produced an emphatic 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-13) sweep, leaving their opponents University of the Philippines (UP) Quezon City in second place with the silver. The bronze medals went to Colegio de San Juan de Letran Manila, who beat Philippine Air Force Pasay by 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-19) for the third place.
The MVP honours went to Saint Benilde’s outside hitter Wielyn Estoque. She was joined on the Super Team by setter Chenae Basarte (CSB), opposite Stephanie Bustrillo (UP), outside hitter Lea Rizel Tapang (Letran), middle blockers Zamantha Nolasco (CSB) and Nina Ytang (UP), and libero Fiona Getigan (CSB).