Water Defenders sink Jet Spikers

BALIPURE picked up its second straight shutout win after an opening game setback, beating Air Force, 25-22, 25-19, 25-21, to force a three-way tie for third in the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Reinforced Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig yesterday.

The Purest Water Defenders rode the momentum of their surprise sweep of the fancied Customs last week, dominating the Open Conference runners-up in the early going of each set and fending off their series of comebacks to complete the romp in 79 minutes.

The win put BaliPure in joint third with Laoag and Pocari at 2-1, behind tormentor UST’s 4-1 and Customs’ 3-1 slates heading to the crucial phase of the single round elims of the season-ending conference sponsored by Shakey’s.

The loss, on the other hand, was Air Force’s second straight and third overall against one win, sending the Jet Spikers to the brink with three games left in their schedule in the event backed by Mikasa as official ball and Accel as official outfitter.

“We still need to work on our communication but the team is starting to jell,” said Morrell, who led BaliPure’s romp with 19 hits, including 17 kills.

Dzi Gervacio backed her up with eight attack points for a nine-point output and Amy Ahomiro, Kaylee Manns, Mae Tajima and Suzanne Roces combined for 18 hits.

BaliPure actually yielded one attack point to Air Force, 39-40, but had five blocks against the Jet Spikers’ three and rammed in three aces against their rivals’ two.

Jocemer Tapic led Air Force’s charge with 10 hits while the power-hitting Joy Cases added nine and Mae Antipuesto had seven.

Earlier, Champion Supra leaned on Joven Camaganakan, Berlin Paglinawan and Arjay Onia to subdue 100 Plus, 25-22, 22-25, 25-23, 25-14, in a duel of winless teams to stay in the mix in the Spikers’ Turf Season 2 Third Conference, also at Philsports.

The troika combined for 43 hits as the Champion Supra Smashers broke away from a tight contest in the fourth set to snap their back-to-back losses.

The 100 Plus Active Spikers fell to 0-4 and bowed out of the semis race.

Air Force shows the way with a 2-0 mark while defending champion Cignal TV and Instituto Estetico Manila tote identical 2-1 slates and Army is in solo fourth at 1-0.

Champion Supre will next meet Army on Oct, 22 before going up against Open Conference titlist Air Force on Nov. 2

Camaganakan came through with two successive power attacks to put away 100 Plus in the opening frame but Philip Bagalay, Jasper Adorador and Mico Lucindo bounced back strong in the second as the Active Smashers forced a tie at one set a piece.

But Onia stepped up in the third, joining Camaganakan and Paglinanawan upfront and the Smashers held off the rallying Active Spikers.

Games tomorrow

12:30 p.m. – Air Force vs Army (S Turf)

4 p.m. – Coast Guard vs Air 

Force (V League)

6 p.m. – UST vs Laoag (V League)