Games today:
3 p.m. — Imus vs Air Force
5:30 p.m. — NU vs Iloilo
Imus and Iloilo hope to ride the momentum of their big starts and stay on top against separate rivals to rebound from their opening game defeat in Week 2 of the Spikers’ Turf Open Conference eliminations at the Paco Arena in Manila Sunday.
Backed by Ivy Tuason Photography, the AJAA Spikers face the Air Force side at 3 p.m. while the D’Navigators take on the defending champion Archipelago Builders in the 5:30 p.m. main game of another explosive twin bill.
Imus and Iloilo, two of the four new squads in the 11-team field, matched convincing victories to kickstart their respective campaigns with the former, spearheaded by top playmaker Ish Polvorosa, trouncing the Santa Rosa Lions, 25-22, 28-26, 29-31, 25-16, in last week’s inaugurals of the league organized by Sports Vision.
The D’Navigators, with Jerome Cordez and Jade Disquitado on the firing end, put up a more impressive debut, shutting down the Airmen, 25-21, 25-23, 25-19.
Against the Santa Rosa Lions, former Cignal hitter Louie Ramirez came away with 17 points while middle blocker Kim Malabunga backed him up with 14 points and Josh Villanueva tallied 11 points for the Sammy Acaylar-mentored Imus squad.
But the Airmen are out to bounce back although Ranran Abdilla and Edwin Tolentino, who combined for 28 points in their losing stand, hope to draw solid support from the rest of the team, including Rodolfo Labrador, Mike Abria, Ralph Calasin and Ruben Inaudito, who groped for form the first time out.
While Iloilo, which also drew big games from Mfena Gwaza, Rash Nursiddik, and Neil de Pedro against the Airmen, is all primed for another romp, the NU Volley Builders are raring to strike back after yielding a five-setter to the Vanguard side last Wednesday.
Spikers Mac Bandola and Bryan Jaleco, along with middle blockers Rwenzmel Taguibolos and Leo Ordiales and setter Joseph Bello, hope to carry NU-Archipelago against their talent-laden rivals.
Games are telecast live on One Sports, One Sports+, Cignal Play and SMART Live Stream.
