We don’t always get the Finals we asked for, but we get the Finals that we deserve.
Many pegged the Pocari Sweat-Bali Pure match up as the true Finals of the Shakey’s V-League Open Conference. The Lady Warriors emerged the victors in a bloody three-game series and are the favorites heading into the 2016 Shakey’s V-League Open Conference Finals.
But there’s a reason the Philippine Air Force Jet Spikers climbed to the Finals with just one loss. The top seeded team won’t likely succumb too easily.
Both squads are entering their first Finals appearance in franchise history, making for a monumental match-up with the highest stakes.
We take a deeper look into the match-up in the following. Which team will finally bring home their first championship?
Pomp and circumstance
Heading into the Finals, Air Force only has one loss in nine matches. Considering how the team was gutted of its two National Team players in Maika Ortiz and Rhea Dimaculangan, Air Force overachieved against opponents stacked with talent.
With her fellow former Tigresses bailing, Judy Caballejo flourished as the team captain. Joy Cases and Jocemer Tapic were consistent offensive options while setter Wendy Semana summoned her collegiate form and kept Air Force’s offense humming.
But Air Force’s luck with the schedule has to be mentioned as the main boon to their success. The Jet Spikers faced Bali Pure when the latter had neither Alyssa Valdez nor Grethcel Soltones. They also had a clear advantage against Pocari late in the season as the Lady Warriors had come off a grueling five-set duel against a complete Bali Pure squad. Air Force avenged their only loss of the season, sweeping Laoag in their semifinals series.
Rested and pumped from their semifinals comeback, the Lady Warriors will be a much tougher opponent this time around.
The Jet Spikers are a much faster defensive team than Pocari, able to keep rallies alive and salvage an attack with quick transitions. Semana is the fastest setter in the league, helping greatly with Air Force’s counter attacking.
Air Force will need to stay steady and limit their unforced errors as they have all season. Pocari will come at them in bursts with blocks and powerful smashes. If Air Force manages to keep a steady pace and make Pocari sweat they’ll have a great shot at nailing an upset.
50 Shades of Sweat
The Lady Warriors started the season on top, crashed at the most inopportune time, and crawled back to the top.
After their aforementioned loss to Air Force, Pocari was seeded second, setting up their epic battle with Bali Pure.
Down a game against a team that has the MVPs of the NCAA and UAAP, Pocari thrived in their last two matches, finding the gear that the team has failed to shift to in past tournaments.
Myla Pablo and Elaine Kasilag proved worthy of their Smash Sisters nickname, providing much of the Lady Warriors’ points. Chest-pounding, “Puso”-screaming duo Michele Gumabao and Melissa Gohing relentlessly kept their team’s spirit alive, refusing to let their team take a point off.
Pablo and Gumabo not only battled pressure, but also severe injuries that would’ve kept ordinary players out of action.
Now healthy and sniffing their first gold finish, the Lady Warriors look primed to take down the Jet Spikers.
But they’ll have to show that they can topple their weaknesses. Great as they were, Pocari had only won one match in straight sets. Even against cellar dwellers like Baguio and Iriga, Pocari somehow relaxed and let the matches go on for too long.
This was their main problem against Air Force in the elimination round. After a great first set, Pocari was deflated for the rest of the match.
Pocari also has limited offensive options outside of their wingers. Taking advantage of their size in the middle, Air Force could penetrate the Pocari defense with solid receives and quick plays.
But the Lady Warriors have most of the advantages in this lineup; they’re taller, harder hitters, and more talented. But they can ill afford to give easy chances to Air Force.
