THE Bomba defeated the Bench Warmers, 25-23, 25-21, in the championship match of the Fall Fest Volleyball Tournament 2024 at the Agape Gymnasium on Saturday.
In the first set, the Bench Warmers’ frontline was led by Mokyang Kim, Kyle Moon and Jasper Hall, who unleashed spike finishes to give their team a four-point lead.
For their part, the Bomba, led by team captain Jerome Manzon, utilized each of their well-rounded players. In each attempt, the team made use of all three touches to set up countless powerful spikes courtesy of Frankie Satur, Merrick Toves and Jermaine Salas.
Because both were strong offensive teams, defense determined the victor.
The Bomba’s Satur, Toves and Salas blocked several incoming returns. With each successful stop, the team slowly closed the distance and eventually took the lead, 16-14.
Both teams continued the back-and-forth exchange for several more possessions, but as the dust settled, The Bomba won the set, 25-23.
In the second half, the Bench Warmers utilized smart returns before mixing up the pace by switching between soft tips over the net and spikes to catch the opposing team off guard.
However, they failed to give the same energy on the defensive end as they struggled to keep the possession alive after each attempted block. Miscommunication also didn’t help.
The Bomba applied constant pressure with defensive blocks and slick set ups complemented by powerful spike finishes to seize the lead again.
After a few more highlights by Toves and Manzon, The Bomba pulled ahead, 21-16.
The Bench Warmers continued to put up a fight and managed to close the distance with a four-point run, but The Bomba was able to hold their ground long enough to secure the win and the championship, 25-21.
“This tournament has been a great one,” said The Bomba’s team captain, Manzon. “Coming into the tournament I thought we were going to see the same level of skills from the previous tournament, but it was extremely hard — especially against the host, 4 Starz, against whom I have repeatedly lost so many times before. It’s nice to finally beat them,” he added.
Manzon recognized the talent of local volleyball players as he also praised a new team, Oasis, which was able to keep up with the other more experienced squads.
“This is the first time I have earned the fruits of my labor — the other teams were pushing me 200%,” Manzon said. “I’m so happy to win the championship. Everyone showed passion for the game. I’m proud of everyone.”
The girls division championship match will be featured in the next edition of Variety.
The Bomba players pose for a group photo after topping the men’s division of the Fall Fest Volleyball Tournament 2024 at the Agape Gymnasium on Saturday.
The Bomba’s Jerome Manzon winds up for the spike against Bench Warmers in the men’s division championship match of the Fall Fest Volleyball Tournament 2024 at the Agape Gymnasium on Saturday.
The Bomba’s Jermaine Salas connects the bump return against Bench Warmers in the men’s division championship match of the Fall Fest Volleyball Tournament 2024 at the Agape Gymnasium on Saturday.
