Games today:
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
2:30 p.m. — PLDT vs Cignal
5:30 p.m. — F2 Logistics vs Akari
F2 Logistics American import Lindsay Stalzer knows that newcomer Akari is no pushover team despite already getting knocked out in the race for the last two semifinals seat in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference.
Stalzer is very much aware of how explosive of a scorer the Chargers’ power-hitting Dominican reinforcement Prisilla Rivera is.
So, the Cargo Movers are keeping their guards up when they face the also-ran Akari as they try to extend their winning run to four to bolster their chances of advancing in the Final Four today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Game time is at 5:30 p.m. following the crucial showdown between sister teams PLDT and Cignal at 2:30 p.m.
It will be the second time Stalzer will face Rivera, who wrote her name in the PVL scoring record book with a league-high 44 points. The two reinforcements have already met during a tournament in the Dominican Republic.
“She’s a very impressive player. Very aggressive player. She has power obviously but she’s also very, very smart. She knows when to use the block, she has every shot in the book. It will be a challenge. I’m just excited to go up against them,” Stalzer said.
F2 Logistics, though, is favored to walk away with the victory after putting a dent on grand
slam-seeking and semis-bound Creamline’s erstwhile pristine record with a come-from-behind, 22-25, 23-25, 25-20, 25-19, 15-11, win last week.
The Cargo Movers are currently tied with the HD Spikers with a 3-2 win-loss slate.
Stalzer, who dropped 27 points the last time out, will have a solid support crew led by Kim Kianna Dy, whose six kill blocks keyed in the Cargo Movers shocker over the Cool Smashers, Kalei Mau, Aby Marano, Ivy Lacsina and setter Kim Fajardo.
The Chargers, on the other hand, will need to have the locals involved on offense to help Rivera.
Akari kissed its semis hopes goodbye last Thursday after suffering an 11-25, 21-25, 19-25, rout at the hands of the High Speed Hitters to fall to a 2-5 mark at the eighth spot.
Meanwhile, PLDT fights for dear life against Cignal, which wants to fuel its drive to join Creamline and Chery Tiggo in the round robin semis.
