By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Games Tuesday
(Philsports Arena)
1:30 p.m. – Galeries Tower vs Cignal
4 p.m. – Capital1 vs Creamline
6:30 p.m. – Petro Gazz vs Chery Tiggo
Farm Fresh turned to the hard-hitting duo of Jolina Dela Cruz and Trisha Tubu in the crunch and swept Nxled, 25-22, 26-24, 25-21, at the resumption of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City on Saturday, Jan. 18.
Dela Cruz, who is returning to action after sustaining an ACL injury, erupted for 20 points built on 18 kills and two aces to steer the Foxies to their third win in six outings.
Tubu was equally explosive as the opposite spiker, pumping in 14 points, 11 coming from the attack line while also swatting away two blocked hits.
Farm Fresh appeared in control of the game before facing stiff resistance from Nxled in the second set, where the Chameleons tightened their net defense behind the efforts of Krich Macaslang and Jaila Atienza.
But the Foxies were quick to regroup and seized that frame, utilizing that victory coming into the third set.
Overall, the Chameleons actually put up a solid net defense by managing 10 blocks — six coming from Atienza — but the Foxies’ attacks were too much to handle.
In the end, Farm Fresh produced 54 kills against Nxled’s 34.
Alyssa Bertolano also shone for Farm Fresh with eight points, while Rizza Cruz and Caitlyn Viray combined for 10 points.
Lorene Toring also debuted on court after a similar ACL injury and managed to contribute three points.
Atienza was the lone bright spot for Nxled with 11 points, but it was not enough as the Chameleons absorbed their sixth straight defeat in as many outings.
Chiara Permentilla also scored nine points, even as EJ Laure debuted for Nxled with eight points, but their efforts were not enough to salvage the crew from the jaws of defeat.