Do-or-die for Customs, BaliPure
Games today 1 p.m. – Champion vs IEM (Spikers for third place) 3 p.m. – Cignal vs Air Force (Spikers finals) 6 p.m. – Customs vs BaliPure (V-League semis)
Customs and BaliPure go at it one final time tonight as they knock each other out for the right to face Pocari Sweat in the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Reinforced Conference Finals at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
The Transformers finally solved the Purest Water Defenders’ puzzle with a 25-19, 15-25, 25-20, 25-17 victory late Monday, forcing a decider in their best-of-three semifinal playoff and keeping them on track for a crack at the crown on their first stint in the country’s premier women’s volley league.
The match, set at 6 tonight, will be aired live on ABS-CBN Sports + Action Channel
23 and S+A HD Ch 166 and via streaming on www.sports.abs-cbn.com, according to the organizing Sports Vision.
BaliPure came into Game 2 oozing with confidence, having beaten Customs twice via three-set romps. But the Transformers refused to give up and got back at the Water Defenders with top hitter Alyssa Valdez living up to the hype by firing 27 hits, including 20 attack points, in a game they could not afford to lose.
But it was Kanjana Kuthaisong who took the game’s top honors after the Thai ace pumped in 19 hits and made a good account of herself defensively with eight excellent receptions.
“They really played well, they simply refused to lose,” said Valdez of their Thai reinforcements, including Nathanicha Jaisaen, who produced 40 excellent sets.
For Customs coach Sherwin Meneses, it was their defense that spelled the difference.
“We did well in our net defense and our reception was excellent. If we continue to play like that, we’ll have a strong chance,” he said.
But BaliPure is expected to come up with the necessary adjustments to bounce back and vie for the championship in the league sponsored by Shakey’s for the first time after placing third in the Open Conference early in the season.
Import Katherine Morrell did deliver 19 hits the last time out and drew a solid 16-point production from the power-hitting Dzi Gervacio and seven markers from former league MVP Sue Roces. But Amy Ahomiro struggled with just five hits and the rest failed to step up, enabling the once-embattled Transformers to steal the match and live another day.
Valdez and Kuthaisong are expected to top their last performances, so do Morrell and fellow import Kaylee Manns and the rest of their respective teammates, guaranteeing a fierce showdown for the right to face the Pocari Lady Warriors in the finals of the conference backed by Mikasa as official ball and Accel as official outfitter.
Pocari took the first finals berth with a sweep of all-Filipino UST side although the Lady Warriors needed five sets to repulse the gutsy Tigresses in Game Two, 25- 17, 24- 26, 26- 24, 25- 27, 15- 8. Game One of the Finals will be held Saturday, also at the Philsports Arena.