Water Defenders looking ahead to next PVL conference

MANILA, Philippines — The BaliPure Purest Water Defenders finished seventh in a field of 10 in the ongoing Premier Volleyball League with a 3-6 record.

They kicked off the Open Conference with two wins out of their first three matches before succumbing in their next five matches. They did close out their season with an emphatic win over the Perlas Spikers to finish at 3-6.

Although BaliPure did not advance to the semi-finals of the tournament, BaliPure team manager Gil Cortez said the team’s performance was “okay” considering the circumstances.

“We were supposed to have Patty Orendain but right before we went into our training bubble in Pampanga, she was disallowed by the Navy to participate,” bared Cortez.

BaliPure instead brought in Bernadette Flora who came in and added much needed firepower for coach Rommel John Abella’s squad.

In all three of BaliPure’s wins, Flora averaged 15.3 points. In all their losses, save for the conference opener against Black Mamba Army, Flora was held to well below double digit scoring.

Flora’s 9.4 points backstopped Graze Bombita’s team-best 14.7 points per game. 

Other players who helped BaliPure’s cause include setter Alina Bicar, middle blockers Gen Casugod and Sati Espiritu who came on strong towards the end of the tournament, the liberos Julia Angeles and Carly Hernandez, and hitter Gyra Barroga to name a few.

Cortez added that along with the coaching staff, the team will assess its collective as well as the individual performances to gear up for the next conference.

“We would fight the other teams but towards the end of the game, kinakapos. I am sure the coaches will work on that. In the meantime, we are waiting for the PVL’s announcement for the second conference.”