Pocari, UST gear up for duel for No. 1

MANILA, Philippines – Streaking Pocari Sweat and gutsy UST won’t take the route to elsewhere this holiday break but to their respective gyms, both bracing for a dogfight in Wednesday’s final day of elims in the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Reinforced Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

At stake is not just the top spot in the Final Four but also the momentum plus the confidence needed in what promises to be a pair of slambang semis matches in the season-ending conference of the league where it all started.

Pocari dropped just one set in a stirring five-game win run after losing a five-setter to Air Force last Oct. 5. And the Lady Warriors are peaking at the right time with imports Breanna Lee Mackie and Kay Kacsits now blending well with the locals, led by Michelle Gumabao, Myla Pablo and Elaine Kasilag and Fil-Am setter Iris Tonelada, to anchor that streak that tied them with the Tigresses on top at 5-1.

That makes their Wednesday’s duel a match to watch although Pocari Sweat looms as the slight favorite owing to its reinforced roster with UST relying on its gutsy all-Pinay crew headed by the power-hitting EJ Laure, block artist Marivic Meneses, Carla Sandoval, Pam Lastimosa, Chlodia Cortez and the exciting Cherry Rondina.

Gametime is at 6 p.m.

Meanwhile, BaliPure, which dropped a 16-25, 25-12, 21-25, 19-25 decision to Pocari last Saturday, is expected to bounce back against winless Coast Guard at 4 p.m. and tie Customs for third at 5-2.

But whichever teams clinch the Nos. 1 and 3 spots, a pair of explosive best-of-three semifinal series (1 vs 4, 2 vs 3) is guaranteed with all four capable of bagging the crown.

The conference is backed by Mikasa as official ball and Accel as official outfitter.