Games today
1:30 p.m. – AirAsia vs PLDT (women’s, for third)
3:30 p.m. – PLDT-Air Force vs Cignal (men’s, for crown)
5:30 p.m. – Generika-Army vs RC Cola-Air Force (women’s, for crown)
MANILA, Philippines - Generika-Army and RC Cola-Air Force slug it out today in what promises to be a slambang duel for the women’s crown while PLDT-Air Force and Cignal dispute the men’s title in the PLDT Home-Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference volleyball tournament at the Cuneta Astrodome.
Odds are actually stacked on the Lady Troopers’ side owing to their experience and talent but the Air Force spikers remain confident of their chances in the keenly awaited 5:30 p.m. title clash.
PLDT-Air Force, meanwhile, tangles with Cignal at 3:30 p.m. for the men’s crown while AirAsia and PLDT Home TVolution dispute third place honors in the women’s section at 1:30 p.m.
“If there’s a team which can match us, I think it’s Air Force,” said Generika-Army coach Rico de Guzman, who boasts of talents in Jovelyn Gonzaga, Rachel Ann Daquis and Mary Jean Balse and ace setter Tina Salak.
“Air Force knows us too well. We’ve been playing together during the AFP Olympics and I can say that they have already determined our weak spots. They know how to attack us. It’s going to be a good game. We have an interesting matchup,” said de Guzman, whose wards clipped the AirAsia side, 25-19, 25-23, 25-16, in the semis.
He stressed the need for his wards to improve their reception and toughen up on blocking, particularly against Maika Ortiz.
On the other hand, RC Cola-Air Force impressed a lot by making it all the way to the finals after finishing last in the previous conference.
The big Air Force turnaround can be attributed not only to the inclusion of the young core of Ortiz, Iari Yongco, Joy Cases and Rhea Dimaclangan, but also to head coach Clarence Esteban, who has whipped up the team into a cohesive, championship-caliber unit.
Air Force foiled over PLDT Home TVolution, 16-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-20, 15-12, in the semis to earn a shot at the crown in the league supported by PLDT Home DSL, backed by Mikasa, Asics, Mueller Tapes, Jinling Sports Equipment, LGR, Bench and Healthway Medical and organized by Sports Core with Solar Sports as official broadcast partner.
“I told the girls that we should match up their defensive intensity with more torrid attacks. Obviously, we are the underdogs in this match. They got the skills and the experience while we’re just first-timers (in the finals),” said Esteban.