By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Farm Fresh survived Strong Group’s late rally to post a 25-10, 25-15, 25-22 victory on Thursday, April 18, in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Trailing 21-22 in the third set, the Foxies turned to Pia Ildefonso and Caitlin Viray in destroying the Athletics’ defense with their hard-hitting attacks to clinch the next four points that led to their victory.
The win snapped Farm Fresh’s five-game losing skid to improve to a 3-7 win-loss mark, and although the Foxies were already out of semifinal contention, it was still a morale boost for the squad seeking to end the conference on a high note.
Ildefonso came off the bench in the first and third sets but went on to finish with six points, while Viray fired eight kills for 11 points.
Trisha Tubu carried the fight for Farm Fresh throughout the one hour, 21-minute match by pumping in 12 attacks for 13 points.
The Foxies directed the game tempo in the first two sets until they encountered stiff resistance from the Athletics in the third headed by Souzan Raslan and Mary Joy Onofre.
Only seven players scored for Strong Group with Raslan managing nine points and Onofre chipping in seven points.
Skipper Dolly Versoza and Sheeka Espinosa were limited to six points apiece as the Athletics failed to convert smashing plays, managing with only eight excellent sets against 120 attempts and delivering 29 attacks compared to the Foxies’ 49 kills.
The Athletics continued with their woes and absorbed their 10th straight defeat in as many outings.
