Air Force, Meralco clash in crucial tiff

MANILA, Philippines - Air Force and Meralco tangle today in a crucial match for the No. 4 spot with the former out to eliminate the latter and the Power Spikers hoping to stay in the Final Four hunt in the Shakey’s V-League Season 10 Open Conference at The Arena in San Juan City.

With a 5-5 card, the Air Women need just one more win in their last two games to complete the semis cast but the Power Spikers, on the brink with a 3-6 slate, are going flat out to stall their rivals and keep their flickering hopes alive in the season-ending conference sponsored by Shakey’s.

“Our Final Four fate is still in our hands and all we needed to do is win our remaining games,” said Meralco mentor Oliver Almadro.

Gametime is at 4 p.m.

An Air Force win will also give Smart-Maynilad, idle at No. 3 with a 6-4 card, a free ride to the semis while eliminating Meralco and PNP outright. 

Cagayan Province, meanwhile, tries to move a win from completing a sweep as it clashes with Phl National Police in the 2 p.m. opener.

The Rising Suns edged the gritty Smart Net Spikers, 25-21, 22-25, 25-19, 17-25, 15-13, last Sunday to extend their run to 10 with another win over the Lady Patrollers to assure them of a playoff for the top seeding in the Final Four.

Cagayan coach Nes Pamilar, whose wards also needed five sets to edge the Power Spikers last Friday, 25-14, 16-25, 25-22, 23-25, 15-13, said it would be nice to go into the semis on a winning note.

“It’s good for the confidence of the players,” said Pamilar.

PNP, with a woeful 2-7 (win-loss) slate, must also sweep its last three assignments and hope Air Force and Meralco won’t go over five wins to force a tie for the fourth and last semis seat in the tournament backed by Mikasa and Accel.

But all will be over for PNP and Meralco if the Air Women hurdle the Power Spikers.

Meanwhile, the Army-Air Force duel last Sunday will be shown on GMA News TV Channel 11 today starting at 1 p.m. while the Smart-Cagayan showdown will be aired tomorrow, according to the organizing Sports Vision.