Perlas recovered mightily after dropping the first two sets to snap BaliPure’s three-game winning streak, 22-25, 22-25, 25-22, 25-16, 15-12, in the Premier Volleyball League women’s tournament yesterday at The Arena in San Juan City.
Almost given up for the dead after their struggling start, the Perlas Spikers willed their way back into the contest with gutsy plays on both ends to nail their third win in five outings.
Five players scored in double figures for Perlas with former Ateneo star Amy Ahomiro exploding for 17 points, including 15 kills, while Dzi Gervacio, another ex-Ateneo standout, added 16 points including 13 attacks.
Sue Roces and University of the Philippines’ Nicole Tiamzon also delivered big for Perlas with 11 points apiece, while Sasa Devanadera contributed 10 points, including three blocks.
Former three-time NCAA MVP Grethcel Soltones did score 20, but her efforts went down the drain as she failed to get enough help from her teammates.
So tired was Soltones she misfired at crunch time, giving the Perlas spikers the breaks they needed to turn the game around.
In men’s play, Air Force finally got the reinforcements it looking for and downed Instituto Estetico Manila, 25-23, 25-22, 25-20, for its first win in two outings.
Ranran Abdilla bannered the Jet Spikers with a team-high 13 points, while National University standouts Edwin Tolentino, Fauzi Ismail and Kim Malabunga combined for 26 points.
IEM slipped 1-3 despite Greg Dolor’s 16 points.
Meanwhile, stars of the present pay tribute to the stars of the past in the Clash of Heroes this Monday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
Zenaida Ybanez-Chavez, Rosemarie Molit-Prochina, Joanne Tavera-Tomacruz, Arlene Apostol-Ladimo, Grace Antigua, Jan Buquid, Nory Laroza, and other legends of the game who won gold medals in the Southeast Asian Games were all invited to grace this one-day battle that serves as the final tryouts for members of the men’s and women’s national teams.