Rising Suns sweep Power Boosters, earn V-League finals trip

MANILA, Philippines – Not even the presence of PLDT Home TelPad's Dindin Santiago and Carmina Aganon could stop Cagayan Valley from making a return trip to the finals of the Shakey's V-League Season 11 Open Conference.

The Rising Suns went to Aiza Maizo and their defense to overcome Santiago, Aganon and the Power Boosters, 25-20, 12-25, 25-19, 26-24, complete a two-game sweep of their best-of-three duel and clinch the first ticket to the finals where they hope to snare their second straight title.

"We were not really surprised that they (Santiago, Aganon) played because we came in ready," said Cagayan Valley coach Nes Pamilar in Filipino.

The power-hitting Aiza Maizo was in attack mode all game as she fired a match-high 22 hits including 18 on kills and three on blocks while Pau Soriano and Janine Marciano scattered 11 and 10, respectively.

After getting the go signal from their mother team in the other league, Santiago and Aganon, who were stars during their National U days, finally got play their first match in the V-League and finished with 15 and 13.

Pamilar though said they were more focused on containing Suzanne Roces, who managed only 11 hits.

"We knew that it will be hard for them to gel fast since Dindin and Aganon joined the team recently," said Pamilar. "So we concentrated on finding a way to limit Suzanne, which we did successfully."

But the Rising Suns nearly blew it.

Up comfortably, 23-17, in the fourth set, Cagayan Valley suddenly floundered allowing PLDT to string together six straight points including the equalizer that came from an error by Marciano.

After Latigay and Maizo misfired on their spikes, Wenneth Eulalio unloaded a kill to the center to give Cagayan the first match points, 25-24.

The 6-3 Santiago appeared to have scored on a quick return that would have tied it for the Power Boosters but she was called a net violation that sealed their doom while sending the Rising Suns to the championship.

Santiago and PLDT coach Roger Gorayeb contested the call but to no avail.