Army mows down PNP for No. 5

MANILA, Philippines - Army went through some anxious moments with new combinations but toppled Philippine National Police just the same, 25-16, 25-22, 25-22, to move within two wins from sweeping the elims of the Shakey’s V-League Season II Open Conference at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

Top hitters Rachel Ann Daquis and Jovelyn Gonzaga did start for Army but coach Rico de Guzman let the others did the rest as the Lady Troopers posted their fifth straight victory to hold off a comebacking PLDT Home Telpad in their battle for the top spot heading to the quarterfinal round of the mid-season conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s.

The Lady Patrollers actually seized control in the second set but just couldn’t stop the Lady Troopers, who re-imposed their superiority, especially in attacks, to wrap up the win 73 minutes.

Nene Bautista topscored for Army with 16 hits while Ginie Sabas came away with 12 points and MJ Balse added 10 markers. Gonzaga had eight hits and Daquis settled for six markers while cheering their teammates from the bench in the last two sets.

Frances Molina fired 17 hits for PNP, which absorbed its sixth straight loss and formally bowed out of the quarters race.

Earlier, Suzanne Roces outhit Jaja Santiago as PLDT Home Telpad rebounded from a stinging straight set-defeat to Army with a 25-16, 25-23, 24-26, 25-19 victory over National U.

Meanwhile, the PLDT Home Telpad-NU match will be shown on GMA News TV Channel starting at 1 p.m. today (Wednesday) while the Army-PNP showdown will be aired tomorrow, according to the organizing Sports Vision.

The Turbo Boosters sputtered at endgame in the third and failed to complete a sweep but put their act together in the next to finish off the Lady Bulldogs in one-hour and 35 minutes for their fifth win against a setback, keeping their spot at No. 2 second behind the unbeaten Lady Troopers.

Pressed to come up with a win after a disappointing loss to the powerhouse Army side, the Turbo Boosters had litter trouble taking the opener but scrambled to make it 2-0 before losing steam in the third, enabling the Lady Bulldogs to extend the match.

But Roces reasserted her might and Gretchel Soltones and Laurence Ann Latigay provided added firepower with Rubie de Leon setting up the troika for the kills and power tips that left the Bustillos-based squad reeling to their third defeat against two wins.

Roces rammed in 17 kills against Santiago’s 14 while Soltones and Latigay pooled 25 hits for PLDT, which also drew a combined 24-point output from De deon, Ryzabelle Devanadera and Charo Soriano.

Myla Pablo and Jorelle Singh also combined for 25 points while Ivy Perez added seven markers, Jane Mandapat added six points and Desiree Dadang chipped in five hits for NU, which now needs to win one of its last two games to secure a berth in the quarters of the tournament backed by MIkasa and Accel.

The loss also kept UP and PNP’s flickering hopes alive although the Lady Maroons and the Patrollers, with 0-5 slates, need to sweep their last two matches and hope NU and Ateneo drop their remaining games to force a playoff.