Lady Troopers survive gutsy Suns

MANILA, Philippines - Jovelyn Gonzaga stepped up in the fifth set as Army turned back an import-less Cagayan Valley, 17-25, 25-17, 17-25, 25-21, 15-13, last night to seize the solo lead in the women’s division of the Shakey’s V-League Season 11 Foreign Reinforced Conference at The Arena in San Juan City.

Gonzaga scored four straight kills that helped the team shatter a 9-all count in the decider and propel the Lady Troopers to their second straight win in the season-ending conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s.

Dindin Santiago’s smash gave Army a 14-9 lead but the Lady Troopers squandered five match points, allowing the Rising Suns to threaten at 13-14 before Mary Jean Balse delivered the match-clinching spike.

“We just hung in there when we needed it,” said the 31-year-old Balse, a two-time league MVP, in Pilipino.

The 6-2 Santiago led all hitters with 25 hits while Gonzaga and Balse scattered 19 and 16, respectively.

Army’s other star, Rachel Ann Daquis, last conference’s MVP, sat out the last two sets with a nagging leg and finished with five hits.

The Rising Suns were forced to play all-Filipino after Thai imports Ampron Hyapha and Patcharee Saengmuan were told to secure International Transfer Certificates from the Thailand-based FIVB and pay the $1,000 fee first for them to be able to play here.

Curiously, this is the first time in the 11-year history of the league that imports were asked to come up with such requirements.

“We’re just surprised that in the 11 years that we’ve been playing here, it’s the first time that this has happened,” said Cagayan coach Nes Pamilar.

Still, the Rising Suns took the initiative in the first and third sets but just couldn’t put out the Lady Troopers, who rallied behind Gonzaga, Santiago and Balse.

Aiza Maizo-Pontillas came away with 24 hits while Ma. Angeli Tabaquero unleashed a 20-point game and Janine Marciano added 13 markers as the Rising Suns took command in the first and three sets only to falter in the end.

Earlier, Systema Tooth and Game Care dominated the last two sets to fashion out a come-from-behind 14-25, 25-18, 19-25, 25-9, 25-9, victory over Far Eastern U last night in men’s play of the league backed by Mikasa and Accel.