Games Wednesday
(Batangas City Coliseum)
4 p.m. – Adamson-Akari vs Pocari-Air Force
6 p.m. – PetroGazz vs Creamline
Creamline seeks the first of two wins it needs for a crack at the top seeding but faces a surging PetroGazz side in the penultimate playdate of the double round elims of the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Open Conference at the Batangas City Coliseum Wednesday.
A win against the Adamson Lady Falcons on Saturday could net them the No. 1 ranking in the Final Four for a possible clash with the fourth-running Angels themselves.
BanKo-Perlas is also eyeing to finish at 11-3 with a repeat over also-ran Tacloban on Saturday but Creamline has the edge in the tiebreak, having beaten BanKo-Perlas in three sets in their first round clash last Oct. 17. The Spikers, however, got back at the Cool Smashers last Saturday in Cagayan de Oro but via a five-set win.
Whatever, Creamline ace hitter Alyssa Valdez said their concern isn’t about clinching the No. 1 spot but building the proverbial momentum and boosting their morale heading to the best-of-three semis where the No. 1 team tangles with the fourth ranked squad and the Nos. 2 and 3 squaring off for the other finals seat.
“What’s key at this stage is to build our confidence and gain momentum. All semifinalists are strong so we have to improve as a team heading to the semis,” said Valdez, the league’s leading scorer with 20.8-hit norm.
PetroGazz actually upended Creamline in five in their initial faceoff last Sept. 29 with the Angels going to their rematch with the Cool Smashers in top form, having swept their last three games to nail the fourth and last semis berth in the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision and backed by Mikasa and Asics.
Cai Baloaloa and Jonah Sabete have provided the needed firepower and spunk for the Angels, who have also drawn solid games from Paneng Mercado, Jessey de Leon, Cherry Nuñag, Alyssa Layug, Relea Saet and libero Cienne Cruz in their last three matches.
But despite coming off a five-setter defeat to BanKo-Perlas, Creamline remains the slight favorite with Valdez expected to raise the level of her game before home fans along with Jessica Galanza, Michelle Gumabao, Risa Sato, Pau Soriano, ace setter Jia Morado and libero Melissa Gohing.
Meanwhile, Pocari-Air Force and Adamson-Akari tangle in the 4 p.m. encounter in a duel of ousted teams with the Lady Warriors trying to salvage some measure of pride against the winless Lady Falcons.