Back-to-back volleyball titles for Lady Knights

The Mount Carmel School Lady Knights successfully defended their kingdom in the PSS-NMIVA Girls Middle School Volleyball League in dominant fashion, claiming their back-to-back championship over the Grace Christian Academy Lady Eagles during the 2025-2026 school year with a three-set sweep in the best-of-five finals, 21-12, 21-16, 21-18.

GCA entered the finals from the winners bracket after beating MCS earlier in the playoffs, and held a one-set advantage, needing just two more to secure the title. But the Lady Knights—who finished as the top team in the regular season—showed why they were still the team to beat.

MCS held down their fortress, shut the door early, controlled all three sets, and sealed their second championship in as many years.

MCS’ starters eighth graders Miana Dela Cruz, Page Muna, Adelle Kautz, Khylee Santos, Victoria Terlaje, and Heaven Deleon Guerrero opened the second set with a roar. Dela Cruz and Kautz set the tone with multiple aces, giving them an almost double digit lead halfway through. The Lady Eagles returned fire with a few aces of their own, but MCS held strong and won.

The third set saw more strong serves and unhittable returns by the Lady Knights. GCA’s C.K. Figueroa, Mikhaela Kim, and Audrey Reyes tried to give their team a good run, but it wasn’t enough to hold back a relentless MCS team. With now a two set win, MCS needed just one more to clinch their second title.

Just like the two previous sets, MCS controlled the lead, but GCA tried to push a late game rally in the last set. They were down by at least seven points and MCS just needed two more to win as GCA closed the gap, 18-20. But, MCS regrouped and got the final point from a diving dig by Muna.

With Muna, Dela Cruz, Kautz, Santos, Terlaje, and Deleon Guerrero were Mikayla Guerrero, Cali Cabrera, Aiyana Pangelinan, Chloe Taimanao, Aliyani Basa, Precious Rubia, and Friella Dela Santa are returning to try to make a run for a three-peat.

The Lady Eagles’ roster with Figueroa, Kim, and Reyes were Gaby Arriola, Celine Mondido, Stacey Ramos, Adele Raho, Hanbyul Jang, Elaine Zhuang, Nalani Takeda, Theia Castro, Bolei Mendez, Olivia Park, and Diva Torres.

Third place went to Dr. Rita H. Inos Junior High School after losing to MCS in the semis.

Kautz and Dela Cruz said in a post-game interview that their strategy in the finals was to “lock in and lock down.” They added that they worked so hard to defend their title and that they wanted it, so they got it.

Coach Francis San Nicolas said that their back-to-back titles feels great. In the finals against GCA after facing off with them earlier, he said the team was more calm and humble. “We just played per point and per set at a time,” he said. “We just got to get the ball over and see what happens.”

With their starters moving on to high school, he said that they will continue to develop more volleyball and basketball players in their summer program and hopes to defend their volleyball title again next school year. He then thanked God and everyone for their support of the team this season.