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Friday, March 29, 2024

Army closes in on V-League crown

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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 her PLDT Home Ultera team and move one step away from clinching its third Shakey’s V-League title 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 their best-of-three 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 2 tomorrow.

A deciding Game 3, if necessary, is set on May 31.

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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 MVP 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, Jovelyn 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 NCAA, 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,” said Cagayan coach Nes Pamilar in Filipino.

The Ultra Fast Lady Spikers went on attack mode early, taking control in the opening set to seize the early upperhand.

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