POCARI Sweat and BaliPure try to arrange their finals showdown as they go for the clinchers in Game Two of the semifinals of the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Reinforced Conference on Monday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
The Lady Warriors and the Purest Water Defenders drew the first blood in their best-of-three semis on Saturday, both in straight sets, to move closer to the finals.
Pocari Sweat dominated University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Game One, 25-16, 25-18, 25-22, and seek a repeat in their 4 p.m. encounter BaliPure try to notch its second straight Finals berth when they try to sweep the series at 4 p.m., while BaliPure overwhelmed Bureau of Customs in their own semis opener, 25-19, 25-18, 25-21, and gun for the sweep in Game Two at 6 p.m.
The Lady Warriors leaned on scoring-machine import Breanna Mackie, who led the charge once again finishing with 19 hits in Game One, while fellow reinforcement Andrea Kacsits chipped in 10 solid points.
“We’re going for it this Game Two, and hopefully we could sustain our good start, intensity and eagerness to win,” Pocari Sweat Head Coach Rommel Abella said.
Abella also banked on his locals, led by skipper Michele Gumabao and Myla Pablo, who had 10 and eight points, respectively, as well as Filipino-American setter Iris Tolenada, who paced the team with 30 excellent sets.
BaliPure also banked on the stellar plays of its American imports in punishing Customs in Game One. Outside hitter Katherine Morrell did most of the damage with 20 points, while setter Kaylee Manns took charge in dictating the pace with 47 excellent sets.
The Purest Water Defenders, who missed the finals in the Open Conference, are hoping to make this time.
“Hopefully, we can finish this in two. I think we have good momentum,” said Morrell, who was the best scorer at the end of the preliminary round with a total of 147 points built on 125 spikes, 12 blocks and 10 service aces. “I think that always helps you in winning. It builds momentum, builds confidence, I mean, we’re just keeping a level head, I think our team does that really well.”
The Transformers had a lethargic performance in Game One and team skipper Alyssa Valdez wants her teammates to move on after the defeat and focus on tying the semifinal series.
“Of course, it’s frustrating to lose Game One but we have to move forward, restrategize and focus on Game Two,” said Valdez, who carried the load in Game One with 15 points. “We have to think of our mistakes and errors and be prepared, be better and improve ourselves.”
In Spikers’ Turf, Air Force and Cignal, who met in the Open Conference finals, try to knock out their separate semis foes in Game Two and renew its rivalry in the Reinforced Conference finals.
The defending Reinforced titlists HD Spikers go for the sweep against Champion Supra at 10:30 a.m., while the Open Conference champions Jet Spikers try to book their second straight finals ticket against Instituto Estetico Manila at 12 p.m.