BALIPURE copped the bronze medal after outlasting Laoag City, 25-27, 25-22, 25-23, 25-19, to sweep their best-of-three series for third place of the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Open Conference on Saturday at the PhilSports Arena in San Juan City.
The Purest Water Defenders again missed the services of Alyssa Valdez, named as the Best Outside Spiker of the conference, but it hardly mattered as they rode on the long-game brilliance of newly crowned Most Valuable Player (MVP) Gretchel Soltones in Game Two.
Soltones, who earned her first-ever MVP in V-League, led the balanced attack of BaliPure with 18 hits, highlighted by 14 spikes to follow up her 20-point explosion in Game One. Amy Ahomiro also stepped up for BaliPure in the absence of Valdez, who represented the country in Singapore for the Asean University Games, as she scattered seven kills, five blocks and three service aces for 15 points.
Janine Marciano contributed 12 points, including eight excellent receptions, while Dzi Gervacio and Mae Tajima added 11 and 10 markers, respectively.
Setter Jem Ferrer fed the team with 53 excellent sets.