MANILA, Philippines — Forced to an extended duel in the opening frame, Air Force leaned on its experience to ground Chef’s Classics then re-asserted its might in the next and held sway in the third to fashion out a 26-24, 25-15, 25-22 victory and nail the elusive win in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan yesterday.
The Jet Spikers also pounced on the Red Spikers’ miscues in the third, the last two – a net violation and an attack error – securing the win for the former after the latter dominated early then fought back and threatened last at 22-23 on a Nieza Viray power hit.
Dell Palomata led Air Force’s attack with 16 hits, including three kill blocks, while the rest provided the spunk and poise, particularly in the third that saw the Jet Spikers struggle and hobble trying to shake off their determined rivals.
The victory, its first in six games, hardly moved Air Force in the nine-team standings but it should give the Jet Spikers some kind of a push as they go up against the Choco Mucho Flying Titans on Wednesday and the PacificTown Army Lady Troopers on Saturday at the close of their first round elims assignment.
Chef’s Classics absorbed its seventh straight defeat in its maiden stint in the league organized by Sports Vision.