Pocari, Air Force shoot for PVL semis seats

Games Wednesday

(Filoil Arena, San Juan)

4 p.m. - Bali Pure vs Adamson

6:30 p.m. - Pocari Sweat vs Hair Fairy Air Force

MANILA, Philippines — Reigning titlist Pocari Sweat and Hair Fairy Air Force seek to join Creamline in the semifinals as the two take on each other in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference at the Filoil Arena in San Juan City Wednesday.

Coming off contrasting victories the last time out to remain at joint second with 4-1 (win-loss) records, the Lady Warriors and the Lady Jet Spikers face off at 6:30 p.m. with the winner barging straight to the best-of-three semis with the Cool Smashers, who are unbeaten in six starts.

Pocari routed Adamson-Akari, 25-23, 25-14, 25-19, while Hair Fairy Air Force need the full, five-set rout to turn back the Power Smashers, 25-22, 26-24, 18-25, 17-25, 15-13, Sunday to move a step closer into the playoff round.

After Wednesday, only one will get to join Creamline.

Pocari’s last elimination round will be Bali Pure on Sunday while Hair Fairy Air Force tackle Adamson-Akari on Saturday.

Myla Pablo is expected to be the focal point of the Lady Warriors’ attack anew after coming off a 17-point performance last game.

The effort sent the power-hitting Pablo from third overall in the best scoring race to No. 2, supplanting Creamline’s Alyssa Valdez.

Pablo has scored a total of 114 hits in five games, just five behind University of the Philippines’ Diane Mae Carlos’ 119.

“She is playing consistently well for us and we expect her to continue doing that,” said Pocari coach Rico de Guzman in Filipino referring to Pablo.

Bali Pure, meanwhile, hopes to breathe life to its diminishing semis hopes as it tangles with an already-ran Adamson-Akari at 4 p.m.

The Water Defenders fell to the Perlas-BanKo Spikers, 26-24, 25-13, 13-25, 22-25, 11-15, that sent the former to No. 5 with a 2-3 mark while catapulting the latter to the magic four with a 3-3 slate.