Games Saturday:
(PhilSports Arena)
9:30 a.m. –– Foton vs Farm Fresh
12:00 p.m. — PLDT vs Gerflor
4:00 p.m. — Akari vs Creamline
6:30 p.m. — Petro Gazz vs Choco Mucho
Petro Gazz denied F2 Logistics an outright semifinals entry while boosting its chances to the next round with a 20-25, 25-22, 25-12, 33-35, 15-9 grind-out win in the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference Thursday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Grethcel Soltones dropped a personal league-high 31 points to pace the Angels in their third straight win in the three-hour, 13-minute duel marred by long lulls due to challenges, especially in the fifth set.
Petro Gazz snapped its rival’s three-game winning streak to tie their victim at the top spot in Pool B with identical 3-1 win-loss records.
The Angels gave the Cargo Movers a dose of their own medicine, winning three crucial challenges in the deciding frame to comeback from a 0-4 deficit to start the set.
Petro Gazz showed composure despite missing the opportunity to close the match in the extended fourth set that lasted 51 minutes.
“I’ve been telling my players that people will count us out, but I told them, everything comes together for good,” Angels coach Oliver Almadro.
“So what I’m telling them in the fourth set and fifth set, this is the Lord’s battle, so there’s nothing to worry about because you’re prepared for this. We just trusted each other and trusted the Lord for this win.”
Petro Gazz tied the fifth set at 6-6 after getting two straight points following KC Galdones’ hit. The Angels got an additional point after a long review of Cargo Movers’ rotation error.
F2 Logistics then took a 9-8 lead before Petro Gazz unleashed a finishing 7-0 blitz. The Angels took a 13-9 lead after winning a challenge when Cargo Movers skipper Aby Marano’s knee hit the bottom part of the net.
Marano’s point was cancelled out in the next play when a successful foot fault challenge was called on Ivy Lacsina who was a backliner when she smashed an attack on the frontline as the Angels moved at match point.
Soltones then hammered the last of her 26 spikes to end the match.
Jonah Sabete had 20 points, Aiza Maizo-Pontillas had 15 while Remy Palma finished with 12 for Petro Gazz. New recruit KC Galdones was active at the net, tallying four kill blocks for six markers for the Angels.
The Cargo Movers, who came off a five-set escape over Choco Mucho in a match highlighted by great challenge calls, saved match points in the fourth set before forcing a decider following a back-to-back attack error by the Angels.
Majoy Baron led F2 Logistics with 16 points including five kill blocks, Lacsina finished with 15 while Kim Kianna Dy and Jolina Dela Cruz chipped in 12 and 10 markers, respectively.
Meanwhile, Chery Tiggo snatched its second straight victory to boost its semis bid in Pool A at the expense of listless expansion team Gerflor, 25-19, 25-20, 25-18, in the curtain-raiser.
Quiet in the first two games, Mylene Paat finally broke out of a cold spell to score 15 points built on 10 spikes, game-high four kill blocks and an ace for the Crossovers, who improved to a 2-1 slate.
Chery Tiggo head coach Aaron Velez fielded all his available players with 10 entering the scoreboard.
“We are very happy with how all the players played. Definitely, there is still a lot to improve on. We need to have a good start. I think that’s one thing that we have to make up,” he said.
“I like the fact that everybody was able to step inside the court but we need to work more on our chemistry and communication so we can have a smoother preparation for our next match,” Velez added as his squad gets ready for a crucial end of elimination duel against PLDT on Tuesday.
Pauline Gaston, Cza Carandang and Eya Laure chipped in seven markers each in limited playing time for the Crossovers, who only needed one hour and 40 minutes to send the Defenders to their second straight.
Alyssa Bertolano was the lone Gerflor player in double digits with 15 points.
