Shakey’s V-League Final 4 under way

Air Force vs Laoag; Pocari vs Balipure

MANILA, Philippines – Pocari Sweat and BaliPure face off earlier than expected but the stakes remain high for the two fancied teams – a crack at the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Open Conference crown.

Air Force spoiled what could’ve been a possible blockbuster finale as it turned back erstwhile unbeaten Pocari Sweat, 20-25, 25-17 25-22, 25-15, late Monday to clinch the top seeding in the Final Four and relegate its victim to No. 2 and a semis clash with No. 3 BaliPure.

The Jet Spikers, on the other hand, take on the Laoag Power Smashers, who repulsed the UP Lady Maroons, 25-21, 19-25, 25-22, 26-24, also Monday for the last semis seat in the season-opening conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s.

Gametime is at 6:30 tonight after the 4 p.m. match between Air Force and Laoag at The Arena in San Juan. Both games will be aired live on ABS-CBN Sports + Action Channel 23 and can be viewed live via streaming on www.v-league.ph, according to the organizing Sports Vision.

Laoag actually swept Air Force in the elims to fuel its semis drive but the Jet Spikers remain the slight favorite over the Power Smashers owing to their experience and personnel while the Pocari-BaliPure showdown remains a toss-up with odds just about even between the two most popular teams in the league where it all started.

“We’re going to use that as motivation when we play them in the semis,” said Air Force coach Jasper Jimenez, referring to their 14-25, 23-25, 23-25 loss to Laoag last June 11.

The Lady Warriors hope to score a repeat of their classic come-from-behind victory over the Water Defenders last Saturday that drew a season-best 3,000-plus paying patrons at the Philsports Arena. But the latter are going all-out for revenge and redemption, guaranteeing another emotional, intense-filled clash between the two talent-laden, top spiking teams.

Air Force has bucked the absence of 6-3 Dell Palomata, who has opted to go back to Bacolod and resume her studies, with Jocemer Tapic and Joy Cases stepping up their respective games along with veteran Judy Ann Caballejo, May Ann Pantino and Mae Antipuesto, setter Wendy Semana and libero Mary Ann Balmaceda.

Against Laoag, the Jet Spikers will be facing a vastly improved crew headed by Jovielyn Prado, Mylene Paat, Jessica Galanza, Katherine Villegas, Wenneth Eulalio and setter and league’s leading server Relea Saet and libero Charlene Gillego.