Three sets were more than enough for the Aztecas women´s team to become First Force Champions of CONADEIP for the 2018 season, a place of honor that they maintain after beating the Borregas Chihuahua in their own field. They also earned the distinction of two Green Tribe players in the dream team and the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
After having passed through a rough time in the second half of the Final Four 2018, the Green Tribe knew that they had to start with the best arsenal available, which is why from the start of the third game they went all out with plays attributed to Seomara Sainz, Amellaly Muñoz and Deborah Alarcón whose powerful shots made the Chihuahua players suffer in the first set, finishing 25 points to 20. The following episode was a true demonstration of the power of blocking, thanks to Valeria Muñiz and Diana Mendoza, who were key for the remainder of this game, finishing this second set 25 to 17.
For the third chapter, the Borregas knew that if they did not step on it they would lose the game, so they set to attack and tried to turn around the situation; but they found a wall at the net and at the rear-guard, thanks to Grecia Figueroa. The team put their hearts and souls in not dropping the ball, providing spectacular plays either at the middle of the court or at the end of it, without gaining an advantage. The public at the ITESM Chihuahua gym thoroughly enjoyed this display.
The last three decisive points of the championship were scored thus: The second referee whistled an improper play by the Chihuahua team (point 23); from the center of the court, Diana and Valeria were tough to stop the opposition’s shot (point 24); with the excitement of the ball going from one side of the net to the other, trying to fall and being saved by the players – which made the public ecstatic for several minutes – the match ended with a shot out-of-bounds of the court by the Borregas. That was the deciding shot that defined that the Aztecas were champion volleyball winners of the National Sports Commission of Private Institutions (Comisión Nacional Deportiva de Instituciones Privadas – CONADEIP). “We came here with every intention of winning first place and we had a three set game. The tournament was very even for the four teams, but in the end we are the champions”, stated the Aztecas UDLAP coach Alfredo Chicoy.
This level of playing has given the team the opportunity to call themselves Two- time Champions of the First Force for the 2016 – 2017 and 2017 – 2018 seasons. In addition two players, Seomara Sainz and Amellaly Muñoz, were included in the CONADEIP dream team. This recognition is joined by that of Seomara as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.