MANILA — Florence Sumpay of Polytechnic University of the Philippines unleashed three deadly left and right hooks to the face of Raveklein Rubin of City of Malabon University to carve an RSC win (referee stop contest) win in just 90 seconds of the first round of their Philippine Army featherweight boxing finals on Thursday in the 2023 ROTC NCR Leg at the Dacudao court inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila.

The 21-year-old Sumpay, a Sports Science student at PUP, carried the fight since the opening bell displaying enough aggressiveness en route to the big win and advancing into the national finals on Oct. 22-26 in Marikina City.

“I’ve been boxing in our barangay since I was 11 years old. It’s really my dream to become a member of the national team. I hope I can be given a chance,” said Sumpay.

In the other boxing finals, Manny Mabansag of the City of Malabon University followed suit with a similar RSC victory over Ellyyander Pormeso of Best Link Philippines in just 1:55 of the first round of their bantamweight Philippine Army fight.

“This is my first time in the ring. I never expected this victory. It was just because of our ROTC course that they told me to try boxing,” said the second-year Criminology student Mabansag, a native of Navotas City.

The other bout also saw Justin Laurezo of Olivarez College pull off a similar RSC win in 1:54 of the first round over Clifford Abucijo of Makati Science and Technological Institute of the
Philippines is also in the Army’s flyweight division.

Meanwhile, the City of Malabon University and Rizal Technological University demolished separate opponents to arrange a championship showdown today in the Philippine Army division.

Coach Jesper Perez’s CMU Belles started slow as they fell behind, 14-25, in the opening set but came back strong to carve a 14-25, 25-13, 25-18, 25-17 win in the volleyball semifinals against Makati Science Technological Institute of the Philippines Thursday.

“Ito naman ang target namin simula umpisa. And we did it. We are in the finals now. We lost to RTU in the elimination round, so we would like to avenge that setback. The way I see it, mukhang kaya namin. Medyo pagod lamang ang mga players ko in that game,” said Perez referring to their three-straight sets setback to RTU in their first meeting.

Perez will rely on reliables Jessa Pormocille, who scored 18 points, and Lovely Joy Campo, who finished 15 against MSTIP. Both also combined for seven aces and five blocks for CMU, which settled with a 4-1 win-loss slate at the end of the eliminations.

However, the RTU Spikers of Mandaluyong proved too much for the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, 25-5, 25-11, 25-15, to forge a similar 4-1 card in the eliminations of the Army competition. RTU forfeited its first game against Lyceum of Alabang, 0-3, due to uniform problems.

“I’m sure, it’s going to be a close game against CMU because they are already scouting us. They knew how we played. But, we are prepared,” said RTU coach Carlo Sebastian. (ai/mnm)