Bright shines for Perlas, Ubben-Whyte duo tows Oragons in PVL quarters

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Lakia Bright starred as the BanKo Perlas Spikers stayed unbeaten in two games, while Macy Ubben and Lauren Whyte teamed up to help the Iriga-Navy Lady Oragons arrest a two-game skid in separate quarterfinal matches in the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Reinforced Conference.

The Perlas Spikers swept the Pocari Sweat-Air Force Lady Warriors, 25-19, 25-14, 25-22, to boost their semi-final bid on Saturday, June 16 at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

American import Bright dropped 19 points, 17 coming off attacks, to lead the Perlas Spikers, who impressively rose from a 6-point deficit, 13-19, in the 3rd set,

Jutarat Montripilat also scored 16 points built on 14 attacks and two aces to backstop Bright. 

The defending champion Lady Warriors absorbed their first loss in 3 games. 

Incredible start

Earlier, the Lady Oragons outlasted the Tacloban Fighting Warays in a 5-set thriller, 25-9, 21-25, 26-28, 25-21,15-13. 

American imports Ubben and Whyte unloaded 25 points each to power the Lady Oragons, who looked poised for an easy win after a lopsided first set but wound up clawing their way back in the final two frames.  

“Sabi ko sa kanila, ‘napaka-ganda ng pagkaka-panalo natin nung first set… bakit hindi natin pwede ulitin ngayong 5th set?‘,” said Lady Oragons head coach Edgardo Rusit.

(I told them we had a very good win in the first set, so why can’t we do the same in the 5th set?)

The Lady Oragons faced a 1-2 set deficit after failing to sustain an incredible start where they pounced on the Warays for a16-point advantage, 25-9, by the end of the first frame. 

Ubben and Whyte, though, helped the squad regroup even as the Warays put up a strong fight behind Thai import Amporn Hyapha, who fired 17 of her 20 points off attacks.

Team captain Jovielyn Prado also chipped in 15 points for the Warays, who remained winless in 3 matches. – Carla Molina/Rappler.com