By Jerome Lagunzad
Games Today
(STRIKE Gym, Bacoor)
4:30 p.m. – Cignal vs Smart-Army
8:00 p.m. – Sta. Lucia vs Cocolife
Cignal and Cocolife eye a share of the early lead as they take on separate rivals today when the 2018 Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga (PSL) Invitational Conference brings its act to the STRIKE Gym in Bacoor City, Cavite.
The HD Spikers will come in to their 4:30 p.m. showdown with Smart-Army armed with a confidence-boosting 19-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-22 victory over University of the East-Cherrylume late Tuesday night for an auspicious tourney start.
Mylene Paat sizzled with 20 points while veteran spiker Rachel Anne Daquis added 14 points to help the HD Spikers recover from a sluggish start and prevent the Iron Lady Warriors from pulling off a stunner.
The HD Spikers, however, are expected to have their hands full in trying to claim the Group B lead against the veteran-laden Giga Hitters, who gave an injury-riddled Sta. Lucia side a 25-14, 25-16, 25-23 beating last Monday.
Also aiming to pick up from where they left off the last time out are the Asset Managers, who will collide with the Lady Realtors in the main match at 8 p.m.
Cocolife passed its initial test at the expense of UE-Cherrylume, 22-25, 25-13, 25-22, 25-18, last Monday, but Serbian mentor Moro Branislav is hoping the Asset Managers won’t take the Iron Lady Warriors lightly.
“I understand that this is a new life for Cocolife. Completely different situation and different sets of players,” he said. “My new players are good but we relaxed a bit against UE and we cannot do that now since we are facing a stronger team.”
Meanwhile, Sta. Lucia will continue its campaign without Jho Maraguinot, Toni Rose Basas and libero Rica Rivera, who all have yet to recover from their respective injuries.
Maraguinot, a former Ateneo spiker, could miss the entire conference due to a muscle strain while Basas remains unsure of her return since her infected ear operation will be re-evaluated this coming Saturday.
