Struggling Iriga-Navy and BaliPure try to regain rhythm and bearing heading to the quarterfinal round as they take on outright semifinalists Creamline and PayMaya, respectively, at the close of the elimination round of the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Reinforced Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan today.
The Cool Smashers and the High Flyers toppled the BaliPure Water Defenders and the PetroGazz Angels last Saturday to clinch the two outright berths in the Final Four, leaving the rest of the eight-team field to fight for the other two in another single round quarters starting Saturday.
That should motivate Iriga-Navy and BaliPure to go for wins for the momentum going to the quarters, particularly the Lady Oragons, who have dropped five straight games after an opening game victory over the Water Defenders.
But ranged against Alyssa Valdez and the Cool Smashers in their 4 p.m. match, the Iriga-Navy side will have to double its effort to at least measure up with the league’s leading team’s firepower.
BaliPure, meanwhile, hopes to recover from its back-to-back setbacks to Pocari and Creamline as it faces PayMaya in the 6 p.m. main game.
In Saturday’s quarters, the No. 3 team will tangle with No. 8 and Nos. 4 and 7 clash in the other match. Tacloban is currently at No. 3 with a 4-3 card followed by BaliPure at 3-3 while Pocari, PetroGazz and BanKo Perlas tote identical 3-4 slates and Iriga-Navy in last with a 1-5 mark.
Imports Janisa Johnson and Alexis Matthews try to neutralize PayMaya counterparts Tess Rountree and Shelby Sullivan while the BaliPure’s local crew, led by Joyme Cagande and Faith Nisperos hope to deliver along with Alyssa Solomon, Princess Robles and Roselyn Doria.
But PayMaya looks formidable with Jerrili Malabanan, Aiko Urdas, Celine Domingo and Grethcel Soltones expected to stamp their class over the young Water Defenders.
Meanwhile, the women’s matches will be aired live on ABS-CBN Sports+Action Channel 23, ABS-CBN S+A HD Channel 166, LIGA on SkyCable Channel 86, LIGA HD on SkyCable Channel 183 and via streaming while the men’s games can be viewed via streaming.
Cignal HD and Vice Co. seek to keep their share of the lead at 4-1 as the former takes on the struggling Army Troopers (1-3) at 10 a.m. and the latter colliding with the Air Force Jet Spikers (2-2) at 12 noon.
