By: Ohmer Bautista
Battling for their breakthrough win in the young season, the BanKo Perlas Spikers disposed the BaliPure Purest Water Defenders, 25-23, 23-25, 25-18, 25-16, in the PVL Reinforced Conference Season 3, Saturday afternoon at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.
“It’s an improvement,” said BanKo import Kia Bright. “Although I still think we’re still working to jell completely as a team but definitely much better than last game. I’m grateful for that and hopefully, we could just continue to improve from here.”
Four Perlas Spikers barged into the double-digit territory as American reinforcement Bright, who had a dismal six-point outing in their season opener, found her usual form to finish with 16 points spiked by four blocks.
To aid Bright in the defensive end, Kath Bersola registered six blocks en route to 15 points. Nicole Tiamzon and Turkish import Yasemin Yildrim chipped 13 and 11, respectively.
Wriggling past a tight opening salvo before squandering the second set, the Perlas Spikers stepped on the gas. As the troika of Bright, Tiamzon and Yildrim cliked offensively, BanKo surged in the third and fourth sets.
“Tingin ko naman nagi-improve kami one set at a time. Yung feeling kasi ng previous game parang wala pa sa atmosphere na naglalaro. Thankful na rin kami na nakapag-adjust kami this game step by step,” Tiamzon added.
Danijela Dzakovic, the Montenegrin import who was unable to play in BaliPure’s season opener due to complications in her International Trade Certificate last Sunday, had 23 markers built on 15 spikes, five aces, and three denials in a losing cause.
Slovakian import Alexandra Vajdova and Grazielle Bombita added 14 points each.
Tomorrow, in the second game of their back-to-back games this weekend, the Perlas Spikers look to make it two in a row versus the Creamline Cool Smashers. On Wednesday, BaliPure faces the streaking Petro Gazz Angels. Both games will be played at the same venue.
