Altas get past Stags, nail 1st QF berth

Games Sunday
1 p.m. – IEM vs Cignal
3 p.m. – Lyceum vs Ateneo
5 p.m. – Army vs FEU
 
MANILA, Philippines — Perpetual Help staved off San Sebastian’s gutsy stand in the third set and completed a 25-21, 25-20, 29-27 victory as the Altas clinched the first quarterfinals berth in the Spikers’ Turf Season 4 Open Conference at Paco Arena in Manila last Tuesday.

Joebert Almodiel blasted in 15 kills and finished with 16 points while Kennry Malinis and Louie Ramirez combined for 21 markers as the Altas rolled to their fourth straight victory in Pool C to become the first squad in the four-group 24-team cast to enter the Last 8 phase.

The Las Piñas-based school goes for a sweep of the single round elims against PLDT, unbeaten in two starts, on Sept. 12.

The Altas barely beat the Stags in spikes, 44-40, but came through with nine kill blocks, three more than their rivals, that proved enough to net them a spot in the next round.

The Stags, led David Honra’s 14 markers and Dominique Ramirez’s 13 points, fell to 0-2 in a tie with Army with FEU and Coast Guard still in the hunt with 0-1 slates.

In other results, Sta. Elena ripped Arellano U, 25-12, 25-19, 25-13, for a 2-0 card in Pool D led by Sta. Elena (2-0), while VNS Volley Club repulsed Emilio Aguinaldo Collge, 25-23, 15-25, 26-24, 25-21, for a 1-0 slate in Pool A paced by Adamson U (2-1).

Air Force shows up the Pool C field, also with two victories with La Salle and Easytrip toting identical 1-0 marks.