T Boosters, Tams nip foes, near 3rd

MANILA, Philippines - PLDT Home Telpad overcame a 1-2 set deficit and foiled Meralco the third time over, carving out a 25-21, 21-25, 20-25, 25-20, 15-11 victory to close in on third place honors in women’s play of the Shakey’s V-League Season 11 Third Conference at The Arena in San Juan last night.

Gretchel Soltones and Sue Roces combined for 44 hits, including clutch spikes in the decider, as the Turbo Boosters came from behind to frustrate the Power Spikers and take the opener of their best-of-three series for third in the season-ending conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s.

Angela Benting added seven markers, including a kill that wrapped up the one-hour, 57-minute encounter.

Earlier, Far Eastern U pounced on Rizal Technological U’s shaky finish in the fourth and pounded out a 30-28, 21-25, 25-16, 25-23 victory to likewise move within a win from clinching third place in the inaugural men’s division of the league backed by Mikasa and Accel.

PLDT, which also swept Meralco in the double-round elims of the tournament organized by Sports Vision, struck back hard in the fourth then sustained its charge in the fifth as the Turbo Boosters reasserted their mastery over the Power Spikers.

It was a sorry setback for Meralco, which looked headed for a payback after taking the second and third sets but lost their rhythm in the face of the Turbo Boosters’ strong fightback.

Abby Marano turned in a solid 20-hit effort, including 16 kills and two aces, while Thai reinforcement Wanida Kotruang backed her up with 18 and Stephanie Mercado, Maureen Ouano and Japanese setter Misao Tanyama combined for 33 points for the Power Spikers, who actually beat their rivals in spikes, 66-59, and blocks, 11-10. Tanyama also accounted for all but two of Meralco’s 58 excellent sets as against Rubie de Leon’s 44.

Jeric Gacutan tossed in 12 hits while Lucky Margate added 10 markers for the Tams, who produced 54 smashes, 11 more than the Blue Thunder, who, however, proved their defensive worth upfront by doubling their rivals’ six blocks in the opener of their best-of-three series.

Carlo Sebastian had four blocks and finished with 11 points while Sabtal Abdul added two for a nine-point output for the Mandaluyong-based squad, which also drew 20 hits from Majid Jaidal.

But the Tams parlayed the Thunder’s poor reception, scoring nine aces, including three from Franco Camcam and two from Margate. They also cashed in on the Thunder’s wobbly windup in the fourth, rallying from an 18-21 deficit and winning seven of the last nine points.

The Morayta-based spikers shoot for the clincher tomorrow while the Blue Thunder hope to force a deciding Game Three.

“We were a little quick to the draw in our attacks,” said FEU coach Florentino “Kid” Santos in Pilipino, whose wards nipped the Thunder in five sets twice in the elims.

RTU actually appeared headed to forcing another five-setter after racing to a 21-18 lead in the fourth.

But they fell into a maze of errors, including a faulty service by Jaidal, enabling FE to regain control at 24-23. Camcam then unleashed the killer spike to seal the victory.

“He stepped up big particularly in the last two sets,” said Santos referring to Camcam.