BaliPure whips Pocari, stays unbeaten

MANILA, Philippines -  BaliPure withstood Pocari Sweat’s tough stand in the first two sets then cruised in the third to carve out a 25-23, 25-22, 25-14 victory and remain unbeaten in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan last night.

Grethcel Soltones unloaded a kill to put BaliPure at match point then the Water Defenders foiled the Lady Warriors’ own attack to wrap up the victory, their third straight after rallying from one set down to beat the Air Force Jet Spikers and the Power Smashers.

While BaliPure sustained its win run, defending champion Pocari Sweat fell to its second straight defeat in the early going of the tournament.

Earlier, Creamline rallied in the opener then finished strong in the next two to dispose of Air Force, 25-23, 25-16, 25-22, and gain a share of second with Perlas and the Power Smashers.

The Cool Smashers wiped out a seven-point deficit in the first frame then leaned on Alyssa Valdez to dominate the second and pull through in a tight third set duel as they pounded out the victory in one-hour, 17 minutes and put the team back in early contention after dropping a four-set setback to the Perlas Lady Spikers in their league debut.

Valdez fired 21 points built on 18 hits and three service aces while collecting 11 digs and four excellent receptions.

“We expected Alyssa to deliver in points. She had an all-around game and she helped the team with her leadership,” said Creamline assistant coach Sherwin Meneses.

Valdez hammered in two hits down the stretch, the last moving the Cool Smashers to match point, 24-21, after trailing the Lady Jet Spikers at 10-13. They clinched the set and the match as Iari Yongco’s attack went wide.

Valdez racked up five points, including three straight aces, in an 8-0 binge in the second set to turn a 9-12 deficit into a 22-14 cushion.

Earlier, Creamline struggled and fell, 11-18, before pouncing on the Jet Spikers’ miscues before Ivy Remulla blasted in back-to-back aces to steal opening set.

“We are still feeling our way around. Of course, all of us don’t want to play catch up. But it’s a good thing that our service reception went well as well as our service,” said Meneses.

“The team still has more to show because despite the bad start, they were able to finish well.”

Remulla punched in 10 points for Creamline.

Jocemer Tapic fired 11 hits while May Ann Pantino had nine points and Mae Antipuesto added eight markers for Air Force, which went on a loss-win-loss run to start the 14th season of the country’s longest running volley league organized by Sports Vision and backed by Mikasa and Asics.

In men’s play, Berlin Paglinawan hammered in 14 attack points and hit two service aces as he powered Sta. Elena to a 25-18, 25-20, 25-22 romp over Air Force and the solo lead.

The Air Spikers actually produced more attack points, 36-35, but the Wrecking Balls delivered the hits that mattered most at endgame, particularly in the last two sets that enabled them to complete the sweeo.

Evan Raymundo and Edward Camposano added seven and six hits, respectively, while Ace Mandani and Isaah Arda combined for nine points for Sta. Elena, which nipped Café Lupe in five, 21-25, 20-25, 25-14, 25-18, 15-12, last week.

Cignal, meanwhile, opened its campaign with a 25-19, 25-16, 25-22 win over Instituto Estetico Manila in the other men’s game. IEM dropped to 0-2.