PetroGazz tries to drive a wedge between the Angels and their pursuers for the fourth and last semifinal berth as they tangle with the Ateneo-Motolite Lady Eagles today (Saturday) in the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Open Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.
A victory in their 6 p.m. encounter will assure the Angels, toting a 6-5 card, of at least a playoff for the last Final Four seat. It could also virtually clinched PetroGazz the coveted slot with ousted Adamson-Akari as its next opponent tomorrow (Sunday) in a busy weekend outing for the Angels.
Joint fifth-running Pocari-Air Force and Tacloban are hoping PetroGazz won’t go over seven wins in a bid to force a playoff for the last semis seat but the Angels are hell-bent on winning at least two of their last three matches to avoid going through a playoff.
PetroGazz dropped a five-set decision to Ateneo-Motolite in their first round clash last Oct. 6 with the Angels bracing for another tight duel with the Lady Eagles, who continued to surprise the field with their solid plays on their way to a semis-clinching, front-running 10-3 card.
The Katipunan-based squad, however, is expected to come in full force and play to its true potential in an attempt to firm up their hold of the No. 1 spot and sustain its top form to the Final Four.
Meanwhile, Creamline (9-2) and BanKo-Perlas (9-3) prime up for the semis by squaring off in Cagayan de Oro City also at 4 p.m. today (Saturday) as part of the league’s effort to bring the games closer to the fans.
Though assured of spots in the post-elims play of the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision and backed by Mikasa and Asics, the Cool Smashers and the Perlas Spikers are still expected to go at it, not only for the No. 2 seeding but also for the momentum heading to the best-of-three semis.
“Whatever placing we land, we’d still end up playing a strong team, so we really have no choice but to always play our best and build our morale,” said Creamline top spiker Alyssa Valdez. “We have to work hard and push more.”
Tacloban also makes its final push as it takes on Adamson-Akari at 4 p.m. with the Fighting Warays hoping to sweep their last two games, including against the Perlas Spikers in Batangas on Nov. 24, and stay in the playoff race.
Games today (Cagayan de Oro)
4 p.m. – Creamline vs BanKo-Perlas (Filoil Flying V Center)
4 p.m. – Adamson-Akari vs Tacloban
6 p.m. – Ateneo-Motolite vs PetroGazz