Bacoor and Biñan Tatak Gel try to secure the last two semifinal spots against separate rivals in the 2024 Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA) on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at the Alonte Sports Arena in Laguna.
The Strikers (9-2) eye to complete the mission at 2 p.m. against the pace-setting and Final Four-bound Quezon (12-1) with the Volley Angels (9-5) looking to achieve the same feat at home in the main game against AM Caloocan (5-6).
Quezon, with a sure twice-to-beat edge, and Rizal St. Gerrard Charity Foundation (10-4) are the first teams to clinch semifinal seats by reaching the magic number of 10 wins with the fifth-running San Juan (6-7) already sporting seven losses in the two-round, 16-game prelims.
And now’s the perfect time to complete that picture for Bacoor and Biñan while keeping their hopes alive for the other twice-to-beat incentive in the MPVA founded by former Senator and also MPBL chairman Manny Pacquiao.
Aside from a homecourt advantage, the Volley Angels – who handed Quezon’s lone loss so far – will bank on a three-game winning streak to re-assert mastery of Caloocan following an easy four-set win in the first round.
Included in that spree were back-to-back wins at home against Valenzuela and Negros last week before serving as host once again albeit against the determined Air Force Spikers.
Bacoor is also out to ride on the crest of its own three-game run but it would be tall order against the in-form Quezon squad wanting no let-up to secure the No. 1 seed in the MPVA backed by Extreme One-Stop Shop Appliances, ASICS, Mikasa and Gerflor with MPTV and Outcomm as broadcast partners.
Since absorbing their first and lone defeat so far against the Volley Angels last month, the Tangerines strung three straight wins, too, highlighted by a sweep of the second-running Rizal last week in Laguna.
Only the top four from the nine squads will barge into the next stage after a double-round robin format for a total of 16 games with the top earning win-once bonuses.
