Games on Saturday
(The Arena, San Juan)
1 p.m. – Air Force vs Bounty Fresh (men’s)
4 p.m. – Air Force vs Bali Pure (women’s)
6:30 p.m. – Laoag vs Pocari (women’s)
Iriga City survived some anxious moments in the third set before defeating Baguio, 25-22, 25-17, 26-24, yesterday for its first win in the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Open Conference at The Arena in San Juan.
Grazielle Bombita scored 15 points while Jose Rizal University standout Shola Alvarez added 11 as the Lady Oragons overcame the Summer Spikers’ bid to extend the match to a four set to bounce back from Monday’s four-set defeat to the Laoag Power Smashers.
Alvarez, named Best Server in the NCAA last season, had seven attacks and four service aces for Iriga.
Iriga broke a 24-all tie when Baguio committed a service error before converting the game-clinching point.
Skipper Krissian Tsuchiya finished with 12 points for Baguio in its first game in the tournament.
Earlier, Air Force drew solid contributions from Reyson Fuentes, Fauzi Ismail and former Emilio Aguinaldo College star Howard Mojica to wallop Sta. Elena, 25-21, 25-18, 25-21, in the lone game of the Spikers’ Turf Season 2 Open Conference.
Fuentes and Fauzi Ismail fired 13 points apiece while Mojica added 10 markers for the Air Spikers, who joined Cignal and Instituto Estetico Manila in the early lead of the men’s volleyball tournament.
Air Force Coach Rhovyl Verayo lauded the team’s chemistry on the court despite practicing for only one month.
“Nag-a-adjust pa rin kami kasi marami kaming bagong players. Kulang namin yung service at receive, pero maaga pa naman ang tournament,” said Verayo.
None from the Sta. Elena Spikers scored in double figures with power players Arjay Onia and skipper Rocky Honrade being limited to eight and six points, respectively.
Peter Torres also failed to step up for Sta. Elena and scored only six points, including five kills.