ZAMBOANGA CITY – With disappointment in athletics and swimming looming, Western Visayas yesterday revved up its campaign in other fronts, including chess, volleyball and football, on Day 2 of the National Private Schools Athletic Association Meet here.

Western Visayas' booters grabbed the top spot in its group with a 2-1 win over fancied Davao at the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex.

The squad of coaches Noah Sajo and Carlo Torbela fell behind on a 13th minute strike from Glenn Balaquina, before Ryan Lirio's deflected effort leveled the match in the 38th minute.

In what observers dubbed as a preview of the finals, Peter Sobredo scored the marginal strike three minutes into the second half.          

Also unbeaten is the women's volleyball squad, mentored by Roger Banzuela, which came through with its third consecutive straight-sets victory.

The team bannered by the University of St. La Salle Lady Stingers smashed Calabarzon, 25-11, 25-11, 25-21, a day after walloping Cagayan Valley and Cotabato.

The men's basketball team, composed of the core of NOPSSCEA champion West Negros University, also kept its flickering title hopes alive with a 79-65 triumph over Northern Mindanao.

It was the first victory in three matches for the WV cagers, who need to sweep their next two games to stand a chance of making the semifinals.

They face Caraga at 1 p.m. today, before going up against unbeaten Central Luzon represented by Angeles University Foundation.

The Western Visayas men and women's chess teams of coach Ericson Rios also set the pace in their respective divisions. The women's squad has nine match points, following wins over Region 1 (2.5-1.5) and last year's second placer Davao (3.5-.5).

The men's team, with nine points hung on to a precarious lead over Central Visayas (8.5). Top player Marvin Ting of WNU dropped two points but his teammates picked up the slack for similar 2.5-1.5 victories over Bicol and Davao.

The women's badminton team, led by Riverside College player Rosalie Soberano, earned a crack at the finals after trouncing Central Visayas, 2-1.

Standing in the way of the Western Visayas lady shuttlers is NCR, which is also sending its men's team to the finals. The Alex Borromeo-led men's squad was not as fortunate losing to Central Visayas in the semis yesterday. *CPT

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