Bryan Bagunas and Marck Espejo connived as the Rebisco-Philippines pummeled the lowly Easytrip-Raimol in straight sets, 25-20, 25-15, 25-23, in the 2019 Spikers’ Turf Reinforced Conference at Paco Arena, Tuesday.
Bagunas and Espejo – who are playing together for the first time since May 23 – combined for 35 points. The former finishing with 19 points built on 14 attacks, four aces, and a block, while the latter chipped in 16 markers.
“Ngayon lang kami nakumpleto, pero siyempre fourteen pa rin ‘yung naglaro kanina. Sabi ko nga, kung sino pa ‘yung pwedeng [ipasok] para ma-develop talaga ‘yung communication sa loob,” said Rebisco head coach Dante Alinsunurin.
After breezing through the first two sets, Rebisco figured in a close third set with Easytrip.
Figured in a 22-all deadlock, Josh Umandal and Espejo scored on back-to-back kills to put Rebisco at match point. Kim Malabunga then finished the game with a block.
Red Christensen scored 11 points, while Herman Eugenio added six for the 0-9 Easytrip.
In his first game of the day, Bagunas towed the Go For Gold-Air Force Jet Spikers to a tight four-set victory over the Sta. Elena Ball Hammers, 25-22, 25-22, 26-28, 29-27, for their sixth win in a row.
Bagunas fired 22 markers which included 18 attacks, two aces, and two blocks, while Ranran Abdilla contributed 18 points.
Kim Malabunga was relentless on defense with seven blocks en route to 16 points, giving Air Force their eighth victory of the conference.
“Ang Sta. Elena kasi, buo na team yan, saka mga bata. So ibig sabihin masisigla [sila], hindi basta-basta napapagod, merong gelling din ‘yung mga players,” said Air Force head coach Rhovyl Verayo, giving credits to a tough Sta. Elena squad.
After winning the first two sets, Air Force dropped the third set off an attack from Nico Almendras. It tied the game at 26-all followed by two consecutive errors from the Jet Spikers’ side.
Down by three in the fourth set, Berhashidin Daymil scored three points in Sta. Elena’s 5-0 blitz to take the lead from the Jet Spikers, 23-22. From there, both teams exchanged points back and forth. An attack error from Almendras was the final straw for Sta. Elena.
Daymil finished the game with 15 points, while Edward Camposano added 14 for the Sta. Elena, who slid to a 5-4 standing.
Earlier in the day, the PLDT Home Fibr Power Hitters handed the Philippine Navy Sea Lions a three-set beating, 25-22 25-18, 29-27, to notch their seventh victory in the tournament.
“Although dikit ‘yung score, I think we’re still in control, so not so much pressure. Unlike nung previous game maganda yung execution ng game plan, unlike ngayon,” said PLDT head coach Odjie Mamon.
Mark Alfafara top scored 12 points on nine attacks, two aces, and a block, while Peter Quiel added nine for PLDT, who owns a 7-2 win-loss slate.
Greg Dolor was the lone bright spot for Navy with 18 points.
The Sea Lions dropped to eighth in the standings with a 4-5 record.
