Streaking Rizal St. Gerrard Charity Foundation Inc. drubbed ICC Negros, 25-17, 25-14, 28-26, while AM Caloocan Air Force clobbered Valenzuela Classy, 25-15, 22-25, 25-17, 25-19, in the Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA) Thursday night at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
It’s the fourth straight win for Rizal to improve to 10-3 right behind league-leader Quezon Tangerines (10-1) with still a bevy of games to snatch the top seeding in the volleyball league founded by boxing icon and MPBL chairman Manny Pacquiao.
Vanessa Yvonne Martin fired 10 points on eight hits, an ace and a block while Janeth Tulang and Roxie Dela Cruz had eight each in the scattered attack of Rizal, which absorbed its last defeat against the third-running Bacoor last week.
Rizal, which also got seven points apiece from Joan Doguna and Johna Denise Dolorito, since then made short work of Marikina, Biñan and San Juan to stabilize its campaign for a chance to surpass Quezon down the road.
In the other game, veteran spiker Aiko Urdas took over with 14 points on 14 hits to show the way for the AM Spikers, who scored a crucial win over Valenzuela to climb to 5-5.
Caloocan now sits only one game behind Biñan Tatak Gel (6-5) for the coveted fourth spot of the nine-team league backed by Extreme One-Stop Shop Appliances, ASICS, Mikasa and Gerflor with MPTV and Outcomm as broadcast partners.
Only the top four teams, with the top two sporting twice-to-beat incentives, after a two-round eliminations will advance in the playoffs of the MPVA also organized by the Volleyball Masters of the Philippines.
Gelah Marie Lopez (17) led Negros, which slid to seventh at 4-6, as Valenzuela stayed at eighth place with a 2-8 record despite the 12 points apiece of Lilet Mabbayad and Javen Sabas.
