BACOOR made it back-to-back wins at home after smothering WCC Marikina, 25-10, 25-14, 25-19, to bolster its twice-to-beat bid in the 2024 Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA) on Monday night at the Bacoor Strike Gym in Cavite.
The Strikers hardly broke a sweat in dispatching the winless Lady Shoemasters to climb to 11-3 for now a solo second spot with two games to play in the MPVA founded by former Senator and also MPBL chairman Manny Pacquiao.
Bacoor over the weekend scooped up a 25-14, 25-18, 25-22 win over also-ran Valenzuela Classy to complete the Final Four cast with the Quezon Tangerines (14-1), Rizal St. Gerrard Charity Foundation (10-4) and Biñan Tatak Gel (10-5).
But this big win pushed Bacoor past Rizal and Biñan for the coveted second seed and the last semis bonus behind another balanced attack.
Cyrille Alemeniana showed the way once again with 13 points on 11 hits and two aces as the Strikers needed only 67 minutes to take care of the Lady Shoemasters. Winnie Bedania and Daizerlyn Joyce Uy chalked up 11 points apiece while Jemalyn Menor had eight points for Bacoor, which will clinch the second seed if it sweeps its last two games.
Meanwhile, No.1 seed Quezon was steady with a 25-19, 25-14, 25-19 sweep of San Juan for a 14-1 record.
Mary Grace Borromeo scored 14 points while Rhea Mae Densing and Francis Mycah Go added nine points each for the expansion but already formidable squad in the nine-team MPVA backed by Extreme One-Stop Shop Appliances, ASICS, Mikasa and Gerflor with MPTV and Outcomm as broadcast partners.
In the other game, Valenzuela bounced back with a 25-21, 8-25, 25-20, 25-14 win over ICC Negros following a straight-set loss to Bacoor on the road.
Abegail Nuval and Lilet Mabbayad connived with 12 and 10 points, respectively, while Souzan Raslan and Sheeka Gin Espinosa had nine points each as the Classy improved to 3-11 at No. 7.
Bien Elaine Juanillo was the lone bright spot with 11 points for Marikina that stayed winless at 0-14, Andrea Caparal had 15 for Negros (4-11) while Chamberlaine Cuñada scored 11 points for San Juan (6-8) in the homestretch of the MPVA organized by the Volleyball Masters of the Philippines.
