TITANS WIN BATTLE OF 4-0 TEAMS

By Patrick Lujan

The Tiyan Titans and Okkodo Bulldogs came into Saturday night’s ISA Boys Volleyball League showdown tied atop of the standings at 4-0.

After four sets of high-level play on both sides, the Titans made it clear that the road to the championship will still have to go through Tiyan, taking the match 25-19-, 25-10, 19-25, 25-21.

Senior outside hitter Gerald Malana had a team-high 19 kills and the business-like Titans walked off their home court as if it was just a regular scrimmage after a highly-entertaining matchup with the Bulldogs.

“It was intense,” Malana said. “I loved the energy and that everyone was giving their all.”

It seemed as if was going to be a walk in the park for Tiyan after easily taking the first two sets. However, Okkodo found another gear and pulled off the third set before the Titans closed out the show in four.

“It doesn’t matter if we lost a set or lost a game, as long as we were playing our hardest, that’s what matters.”

– Tiyan senior Gerald Malana

1st Set

It could’ve been big-game nerves as the Bulldogs came out with several unforced errors. Six of Tiyan’s first 10 points were on Okkodo errors as the Titans raced out to a 12-5 lead on a Malana quick kill.

The Bulldogs pulled to within 15-12, but the Titans pulled away from there and the 25-19 set win.

Kills: Tiyan 14 (Malana 5, Blas 4, Cruz 2, No. Ericsson 2, Aguon); Okkodo 4 (Balbin 2, Hudtohan, David). Service errors: Tiyan 6, Okkodo 4. Unforced errors: Tiyan 8, Okkodo 7. Aces: Tiyan 0, Okkodo 1 (Lingat).

2nd Set

Tiyan roared out to an 8-1 lead out of the gate and never looked back, playing clean volleyball with only two unforced errors in the set. Malana added another five kills in the set and four straight Okkodo errors midway through was too costly as the Titans easily cruised to a 25-10 win.

Kills: Tiyan 10 (Malana 5, No. Ericsson 2, Blas, Na. Ericsson, Fajardo); Okkodo 6 (Hudtohan 3, Balbin 2, David). Service errors: Tiyan 1, Okkodo 1. Unforced errors: Tiyan 2, Okkodo 9. Aces: Tiyan 3 (Na. Ericsson 2, Malana), Okkodo 0. Blocks: Tiyan 2 (Blas, Malana); Okkodo 1 (Balbin).

3rd Set

The Bulldogs needed any kind of spark to have their slim hopes alive, and Lance Mupas provided just that. Mupas corked off three early aces, catching the Tiyan defense off guard, and Okkodo saw themselves ahead 5-0.

Huge net play by Bulldogs Deaven Hudtohan (five kills) and Dominic David (four kills) staved off any Titans comeback. It was Hudtohan’s final kill of the set off a block that sealed the set 25-19 that brought life back into the Okkodo huddle.

Kills: Tiyan 11 (Aguon 6, Malana 4, No. Ericsson); Okkodo 13 (Hudtohan 5, David 4, Balbin 2, Silvestre 2). Service errors: Tiyan 1, Okkodo 1. Unforced errors: Tiyan 6, Okkodo 5. Aces: Tiyan 1 (Cruz), Okkodo 3 (Mupas 3). Blocks: Tiyan 0; Okkodo 2 (Balbin 2).

Fourth Set

The Bulldogs had their sights on forcing a fifth set as they jumped slightly ahead 5-2. After a couple of ties, Tiyan went on a 12-5 run and never looked back.

The Titans settled down in front of a sparse crowd to pull away and cement their position on top of the league as Noel Ericsson signed off with a kill off a block to end the night.

Kills: Tiyan 13 (Malana 4, No. Ericsson 4, Na. Ericsson 3, Cruz, Blas); Okkodo 11 (Hudtohan 3, David 3, Balbin 2, Silvestre 2, Calma). Service errors: Tiyan 0, Okkodo 4. Unforced errors: Tiyan 7, Okkodo7. Aces: Tiyan 0, Okkodo 2 (Balbin, Silvestre). Blocks: Tiyan 1 (Cruz); Okkodo 1 (Balbin).

In the JV game, Tiyan remained undefeated with a three-set win over Okkodo.

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