Latest news with #Berdal
GMA Network
14-06-2025
- Sport
- GMA Network
Graduating Chiefs Berdal, Curamen, Villados exit with legacy cemented in Arellano
NCAA By BEA MICALLER,GMA Integrated News In their final act as part of the Arellano Chiefs, the graduating trio of Carl Berdal, Anfernee Curamen, and Adrian Villados delivered a performance worthy of a storybook ending. The veterans spearheaded Arellano University's 24-26, 25-21, 25-15, 25-17 come-from-behind win against Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Game 2 to snag the school's historic breakthrough NCAA men's volleyball title. Seasoned outside spiker Berdal picked up right where he left off in Game 1, exploding for 16 points and six digs in the clincher. Curamen stamped his class at the net with 12 markers, including three blocks, while battle-tested setter Villados orchestrated the offense with 24 excellent sets. Together, the graduating trio capped their final dance with the ultimate prize: a championship trophy 16 years in the making. "Sobrang saya, 'di ko ma-explain. Walang words ang makaka-explain kung gaano ako kasaya ngayon kasi first time in history na mag-champion ang Arellano e," Curamen said. Berdal added, "Sobrang saya kasi marami talaga kaming pinagdaanan and nagbunga lahat ng sakripisyo, hindi pagkakaunawaan sa team, away, tampuhan." The three played crucial roles in Arellano's improbable title run. Berdal, who had to overcome a knee injury late in Season 98 before making his way back in Season 99, was a consistent force for the Chiefs, amassing a total of 255 points in the elimination round before leaving it all out in the Final Four, where they had to hurdle a twice-to-beat Mapua University. Curamen was also one of the pillars of Arellano's net defense, collecting 45 blocks in 18 games en route to a 186-point haul through the regular season. And at the center of it all was Villados with the former Alas Pilipinas Men pool member anchoring the attack with his masterful playmaking instincts. "Sobrang proud ako sa kanila (graduating player) kasi tinrabaho nila 'to lalo na si Carl na galing sa injury tapos last season huli na siya bumalik pero ngayon pinush niya 'yung sarili niya," Arellano head coach Bryan Vitug said. As they bid farewell to Arellano, the trio is confident that the winning culture they've built in Legarda will live on. In fact, the Game 2 showdown against the Knights was proof that the future of Arellano is in good hands with holdovers AC Guinto, Jiwen Sinuto, and Jake Pangilinan showing they can carry the torch forward. Guinto top-scored with 17 points laced with 20 receptions while opposite spiker Sinuto chipped in 14 markers. Rising middle blocker Jake Pangilinan tallied 10 points, none bigger than the championship-clinching quick attack in the fourth set. "Itong championship na nakuha namin, ito 'yung nagpo-prove na kaya talaga ng Arellano, na makapasok sa finals, makakuha ng championship," Villados shared. "And itong championship na 'to makakapag-boost sa morale nu'ng mga maiiwan. Experience din 'to para sa mga maiiwan. Positive kami na kaya pa rin nila next season kahit wala na kami." —JKC, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
12-06-2025
- Sport
- GMA Network
How ironing out internal disputes led Arellano Chiefs to historic maiden crown
NCAA By BEA MICALLER,GMA Integrated News What started out as a season marred by internal misunderstandings and tensions ended with Arellano University standing as a united front, cementing its name in history books by ruling the NCAA Season 100 men's volleyball. Before closing their campaign triumphantly, the Chiefs had to first resolve issues that went beyond the court. Newly minted Finals MVP and graduating outside spiker Carl Berdal revealed that the Chiefs faced multiple conflicts that they confronted head-on after each defeat, something that happened frequently in the early part of their campaign. Unlike how they ended the season, the Chiefs opened their bid with exactly the opposite result after absorbing a 22-25, 25-27, 29-27, 19-25 loss to De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. The Chiefs then suffered another pair of losses in their next four games, winning over Lyceum of the Philippines University and then defending champion University of Perpetual Help System DALTA but losing to San Beda University and Mapua University. But instead of letting those setbacks drag them down further, the Chiefs turned the heartbreaks and rifts into their fuel to revive their campaign. "Lower po 'yung expectations namin dito this season kasi nagkaron kami ng slow start. Nu'ng first round puro kami talo, hindi namin alam kung paano kami mananalo, kung paano kami magiging united as a team," Berdal told GMA News Online. "Para maging buo kami, nagusap-usap kami, naglabasan kami ng sama ng loob. May mga nag-aaway, may mga hindi nagkakainintidihan pero hindi po namin 'yun ginawa para lalo kaming matalo. Ginawa namin 'yung mga open forum na 'yun para mas lalo kaming matatag." Those heart-to-heart sessions lit the fire within the Chiefs. After racing to a sluggish 2-3 start, the Legarda crew prevailed in their next four games against Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Jose Rizal University, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, and Emilio Aguinaldo College to end the first round holding a 6-3 card. The Chiefs evolved into a more dangerous team in the second round and the playoffs, where they won 11 of their last 13 games, highlighted by a massive eight-game winning streak that included two victories over twice-to-beat Mapua in Final Four and another two over the Knights to win it all. Arellano head coach Bryan Vitug echoed Berdal's sentiments, sharing their confrontations paved the way for their unity and, ultimately, their championship run. "'Yung mga struggles namin 'yun ang tingin kong naging turning point kasi everytime na nag-struggle kami meron kaming komprontahan, tampuhan. So 'pag nagkakatampuhan kami, pinaguusapan agad namin at nakikinig kami sa bawat isa," the rookie head coach said. "Hindi lang naman porke coach ako, ako na masusunod lagi. So pinakikinggan ko rin 'yung side ng mga players tapos collective effort lagi sa communication namin." That solidarity was on full display in the championship round, where Berdal joined forces with fellow seniors in AC Guinto, Adi Villados, Anfernee Curamen, and Jiwen Sinuto to capture the title that had been eluding them in the last 16 years. "Sobrang saya kasi with so much pride and honor po, nire-represent namin po namin 'yung school namin at nag-champion kami na first time para sa Arellano dito sa NCAA. Para sa Arellano po ito," Berdal added. —JKC, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
27-05-2025
- Sport
- GMA Network
Arellano survives LPU in five-setter ahead of NCAA men's volleyball Final Four
NCAA Arellano University survived a gritty Lyceum of the Philippines University squad, 23-25, 25-10, 20-25, 25-22, 15-8, to end its elimination round campaign on a high note on Tuesday in the NCAA Season 100 men's volleyball tournament at the Filoil Centre in San Juan. After claiming the fourth set to even the match, the Chiefs had an early 5-1 lead before they pulled away, 11-6. Carl Berdal then widened the lead for the Chiefs before an ace from AC Guinto put them at 13. Jun Edang then tried to trim LPU's deficit, which was followed by an attack error from Berdal for LPU to score two straight. However, Berdal scored back-to-back to seal the victory for the Chiefs. The duo of Berdal and Guinto led Arellano in offense with 22 points and 20 points, with the former having eight digs, while the latter had 20 receptions. Jiwen Sinuto added 15 points, while Jake Pangilinan chipped in 13 points as Adrian Villados made all of Arellano's 25 excellent sets on top of his four-point output. For head coach Bryan Vitug, the win was important especially with the Final Four round coming. "Good thing at least papasok ng Final Four, alam nila paano kumapit kahit during bad games. 'Yun ang mahalaga, nag-recover," Vitug said. Jun Edang's 23 points went to naught, while Isaiah Chrys Santos added 17 points as LPU slipped to 2-15. —JKC, GMA Integrated News
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GMA Network
18-05-2025
- Sport
- GMA Network
Berdal, Curamen take charge as Arellano repeats over Perpetual
NCAA By BEA MICALLER,GMA Integrated News No five-setter this time around. Carl Berdal and Anfernee Curamen took the scoring cudgels as Arellano University reasserted its mastery over University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, 25-16, 28-26, 25-20, in NCAA Season 100 men's volleyball on Sunday. Berdal top-scored with 14 points while veteran middle blocker Curamen grabbed seven blocks en route to a 13-point outing as the Chiefs didn't need five sets to upset the ALTAs this time. Back in their first round meeting, Arellano had to eke out a 25-18, 22-25, 25-14, 21-25, 15-13 win in a grueling affair. With the victory as well, the Chiefs cruised to back-to-back wins to improve to 11-5 while the four-time defending champions ALTAs, meanwhile, put their title defense in peril as they fell to 8-7. "Pinanood namin talaga sa viewing namin 'yung mga galaw nila, kahit sinong ipasok sa kanila, 'yun talaga 'yung gusto namin mangyari na matalo sila ng straight sets," Curamen told GMA News Online. "Crucial lahat ng games ngayon. Gusto naming makakuha ng twice-to-beat." Curamen and Berdal were effective all game long with the former unleashing a quick kill and the latter unloading a power hammer as they came out on top of an extended Set 2, 28-26. They continued their brilliance in the third frame with Curamen completing a running attack play that helped Arellano establish a 10-7 cushion. But Perpetual displayed its championship poise with John Castil fueling a 8-3 rampage that saw the Las Piñas crew secure a 15-13 lead. Arellano slowly sliced the gap as back-to-back errors from Perpetual tied things up at 18-all before AC Guinto punished them with two consecutive aces that swung the lead back to Arellano, 20-18. Berdal put together the finishing kick with two attacks in a row before two consecutive errors from Perpetual sealed it for the streaking Arellano. Kobe Tabuga paced Perpetual with 15 points and eight digs while Marapoc and Castil chipped in 13 and 11 markers apiece. —JKC, GMA Integrated News
