Lady Warriors rebound, stop Perlas Spikers

MANILA, Philippines – Pocari-Air Force rebounded from a tough straight-set loss to PayMaya with an imposing 4-set triumph over BanKo-Perlas to split its road game matches in the Premier Volleyball League 2 Reinforced Conference on Sunday, May 13, at the People’s gym in Tuguegarao.

The Lady Warriors, though, needed to shake off a lopsided first-set defeat before overpowering the Perlas Spikers, 15-25, 25-15, 25-18, 25-22, for a 1-1 start in their title-retention drive in the season-opening conference.

Imports Maddie Palmer and Arnelie Love, who struggled for just a combined 15-point output against PayMaya, more than doubled their joint effort this time by finishing with 31 hits

Local ace Myla Pablo also unloaded 15 points to help power the Lady Warriors in the one-hour, 35-minute victory.

The Lady Warriors recovered from a 20-25, 19-25, 22-25 setback to the High Flyers last Saturday in their first road-game assignment in the league organized by Sports Vision.

Palmer delivered 14 spikes in a 16-point performance, while Love took care of the net with Jeanette Panaga and produced 4 blocks for a 15-point output.

Panaga added 8 points, including 3 blocks in the team’s 11, which was 6 more than their rivals’ total.

Pocari-Air Force likewise cashed in on BanKo-Perlas’ poor reception and delivered 11 aces.

It was a disappointing loss for BanKo-Perlas, which came into the match brimming with confidence after hacking out a thrilling 22-25, 25-16, 25-23, 17-25, 15-11 victory over fancied Creamline the previous night.

But after a dominant first-set showing, the Perlas Spikers lost their sting, rhythm and poise in the face of the Lady Warriors’ all-out charge in the next 3 frames, enabling the defending champions to cruise to victory before a big Sunday crowd in the league’s first out-of-town sortie hosted by the Province of Tuguegarao and backed by Toyota Tuguegarao, Globe, Mikasa, Asics, Puregood and Robinsons Malls.

Kia Bright and fellow import Jutarat Montripila put in a pair of 18-hit efforts while Amy Ahomiro added 10 hits, but after an impressive opening set show, the Perlas Spikers lost their luster and succumbed to the Lady Warriors’ power game. – Rappler.com