ARMY relied on its vast championship experience and bench depth, as it shrugged off a flat start to eke out a come-from-behind 13-25, 25-23, 27-25, 25-22 victory over Alyssa Valdez and PLDT Home Ultera in Game One of the race-to-two Shakey’s V-League championship series on Thursday at The Arena in San Juan City.
A well-rested Dindin Santiago-Manabat and Jovelyn Gonzaga each fired 16 apiece, but it was Nene Bautista who made the key plays, as she finished with nine hits to help the Lady Troopers clinch a 1-0 lead in the showdown for the Season 12-Open Conference title.
“Our championship experience helped us,” said Army Coach Rico de Guzman, whose charges made it to the finals four times and won titles four years ago and last year.
Army goes for the jugular in Game Two on Saturday. A deciding Game Three, if necessary, is set on May 31.
Army also denied PLDT a historic sweep as the former ended the latter’s run to nine wins.
Valdez, who will win this conference’s Most Valuable Player plum, led all hitters with 25, including 22 on kills, but fatigue has taken its toll on the power-hitting Ateneo standout, as she had to practice for her Lady Eagles and the Southeast Asian Games-bound national team apart from PLDT.
It was not the same with Santiago-Manabat, Gonzaga and Rachel Ann Daquis, who came into the opener fresh after skipping national team practice at the Blue Eagle Gym the day before.
Earlier, Cagayan Valley turned back Meralco, 25-23, 25-21, 25-23, to move one step away from clinching third place.
Janine Nicole Marciano, who played college ball for San Beda in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and Rosemarie Vargas took turns in delivering the big blows by combining for 30 hits, as the Lady Risings Suns, former two-time champions and two-time runners-up, closed in on third place.
“We just want to end our campaign with a respectable finish,” Cagayan Coach Nes Pamilar said in Filipino.
The Ultra Fast Lady Spikers went on attack mode early, taking control in the opening set to seize the early upper hand.
The Lady Troopers woke up in the second set and took a 20-15 advantage.
PLDT battled its way back as it seized eight of the next 12 points, including a service ace that pushed it closer, 23-24, but a drop shot by Gonzaga preserved the set to level the count.
The third set was different, as PLDT and Army changed leads, with the former hauling a 20-18 advantage. But the Lady Troopers came roaring back as the elder Santiago, Dindin, blocked younger sister, Jaja, to steal the third set and gain a two-sets-to-one lead.
Image credits: Kevin de la Cruz