Quezon bounced back from a first-set loss to defeat the visiting AM Caloocan Air Force, 23-25, 25-14, 25-21, 25-12, maintaining their bid for the top seed in the Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA) Season 1 on Saturday night at the Quezon Convention Center.
Rhea Mae Densing stepped up when it mattered most, leading the Tangerines’ dominant performance in the final three sets.
With the win, Quezon improved to 11-1, securing the top spot in the standings and positioning themselves for a win-once advantage in the semifinals alongside the second-place team.
Mycah Go contributed 14 points, while Cristy Ondangan and Mary Grace Borromeo added 10 and seven points, respectively, as Quezon delighted their home fans with a victory in their first of two weekend home games in Lucena.
The win also created a comfortable gap between Quezon and their closest rivals, Rizal St. Gerrard Foundation (10-3), pending the result of their ongoing match at press time.
For Caloocan, Iari Yongco-Quimson was the lone bright spot, scoring 18 points.
The loss dropped the Air Force Spikers to 5-6, putting them at risk of missing the semifinals as they battle Biñan (6-5) for the fourth and final playoff spot in the MPVA, founded by former Senator and MPBL chairman Manny Pacquiao.
In the other match, Bacoor survived some tense moments to secure a 25-20, 27-25, 25-23 win over Negros.
Middle blocker Winnie Bedana led Bacoor with 12 points, while Cyrille Alemeniana and Camille Bustamante chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The Strikers solidified their hold on third place with a 9-2 record, keeping their hopes alive for the second seed and the last twice-to-beat advantage in the upcoming semifinals.
Despite strong performances from Angeliz Cosme (12 points), Andrea Caparal, and Gelah Lopez (11 points each), the Lady Blue Hawks stumbled to a 4-7 record, leaving them in seventh place.
The MPVA, sponsored by Extreme One-Stop Shop Appliances, ASICS, Mikasa, and Gerflor, with MPTV and Outcomm as broadcast partners, is organized by Volleyball Masters of the Philippines.
