The Petron Tri-Activ Spikers gained the solo top spot at the expense of the Cignal HD Spikers after a three-setter, 25-14, 25-13, 27-25, in their third game of the 2016 Philippine Superliga (PSL) All-Filipino Conference women’s volleyball tournament at the Cuneta Astrodome.
Coming into the game, the Tri-Activ Spikers had been in a three-way tie at the top with F2 Logistics and RC Cola-Army, all at 2-0.
But even at 3-0, Petron head coach George Pascua still wants to see improvement from his team.
“Hindi pa naman ganun ka-smooth talaga ‘yung laro namin, so step-by-step, dapat mag ready lang [‘yung team],” said Pascua.
The opener was a tightly-contested affair, with both teams separated by a single point, 8-7, after the first technical timeout, but Petron left Cignal behind via a 12-2 run powered by their wing hitters, veteran Aiza Maizo-Pontillas and new-recruit Bernadeth Pons of Far Eastern University.
Team captain Pontillas and Pons scored 11 and eight, respectively, for the Tri-Activ Spikers.
After receiving another beating in the second set, 25-13, the upset-seeking HD Spikers held on tight in a long, rally-plagued third set.
“Yung third set, ang dami naming unforced errors e, pero na-manage naman nung huli,” said Petron’s coach.
The teams were tied at 24 apiece after a mis-hit by Maizo-Pontillas when Remy Palma had another miscue, which forced coach Pascua to call a timeout.
Having talked things over, Petron took the final set, 27-25, and the game, after a three-to-nothing run through an unforced error by Cignal, a Frances Molina drop shot, and a Cherry Nunag block on Carmela Tunay.
Tunay, along with Cerry May Vivas, led Cignal in scoring with six points each.
Petron will have a week of rest and preparation before their next match against an also-undefeated RC Cola, and so do Cignal before they face Standard Insurance. Both games will be held at the Cuneta Astrodome on July 12.
The Scores:
Petron (3) – Maizo-Pontillas 11, Molina 11, Pons 8, Nunag 6, Rosario 5, Palma 3, Negrito 1, Morada 1, Yongco 1, Masangkay 0, Zapanta 0, Pineda (L), Reyes (L)
Cignal (0) – Vivas 6, Tunay 6, Panaga 5, Musa 5, Berte 4, Navarro 1, Laborte 1, Hingpit 1, Cheng 0, Mandapat 0, Llagoso 0, Aguilar 0, Dionela (L)
