PLDT, Cagayan begin Spikers Turf title series

PLDT Home Ultera hopes to keep the momentum of its victory in a nonbearing match but Cagayan Valley is out to re-assert its might as they clash in Game One of the Spikers’ Turf Open Conference Finals at The Arena in San Juan.

The Ultra Fast Spikers bucked a firstset loss to upend the Rising Suns, 16-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-23, at the end of the semis round last Thursday that served as a preview of the best-of-three title series for the inaugural men’s volley league presented by PLDT Home Ultera.

But the Rising Suns, for sure, just went through the motions and conserved their strength for today’s all-important encounter that will give the winner the momentum and confidence needed in a short title series. Gametime is at 3 p.m. Behind former UAAP rivals-turned-teammates Rex Intal and Marck Espejo of Ateneo and National U’s Peter Torres and Jan Berlin Paglinawan, Cagayan outlasted PLDT in their elims face-off, 25-20, 26-24, 12-25, 22-25, 15-10, and went on to top the qualifiers with a 6-1 card. Both teams swept their first two games in the semis to seal the showdown for the crown.

Cagayan’s fearsome foursome will again be PLDT’s main concern in its net and floor defense although the Ultra Fast Spikers also boast of a slew of attackers raring to mix it up with Cagayan’s frontliners in what promises to be an action-packed battle for volley supremacy in the league backed by Mikasa.

But it won’t boil down to power spikes alone as what PLDT proved the last time out when they lost to Cagayan in the spiking duel, 46-48, but won their battle in blocks, 11-9, and in serves, 6-4, and the match.