MANILA, Philippines – PLDT Home Ultera toughens up for the Final Four as it parades former NCAA standouts Sareea Freeman and Victoria Hurtt when it clashes with KIA Forte today in the Shakey’s V-League Season 12-Reinforced Conference at The Arena in San Juan.
Freeman and Hurtt arrived late Wednesday night and were welcomed by no less than PLDT coach Roger Gorayeb and manager Francis Bautista.
“They will practice for two days and they will immediately play in our next game,” Gorayeb told The STAR.
Meanwhile, UP tries to check its skid and nail the third semis berth as it plays unbeaten Army at 3 p.m. after the 12:45 p.m. clash between PLDT and Kia Forte, both to be shown live on GMA News TV Channel 11, according to the organizing Sports Vision.
The Lady Maroons won their first two games but dropped the next two, enabling the Lady Sailors and Kia Forte to stay in the fight for the last two semis slots.
But they need to beat an Army team out to complete its sweep of the single round elims of the season-ending conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s and presented by PLDT Home Ultera.
Freeman served as a 6-4 middle blocker at Florida State from 2009 to 2012, including an NCAA Final Four stint in 2011 and hit a career .356, 666 kills and 393 blocks while the 6-3 Hurtt is an outside spiker for the Iowa State Cyclones from 2011 to 2014 and won awards including All-Big 12 First Team in 2012 and 2014.
Interestingly, Freeman could also help serve as mentor, being a former assistant coach at University of Albany.
Gorayeb hopes his two new players will help boost their title chances, especially against the powerhouse Lady Troopers. The veteran mentor is also aiming to post a first-ever sweep of the season’s crowns after steering PLDT past Army in the Open Conference and National U over Ateneo in the Collegiate Conference.
Freeman and Hurtt will be the 10th and 11th member of the team that also includes Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Gretchel Soltones, Charo Soriano, Rubie de Leon, Jem Ferrer, Jannine Marciano, Lou Ann Latigay and Ryzza Devanadera among others.
The 12th and last spot has been reserved for Open Conference and Collegiate Conference MVP Alyssa Valdez, who is expected to play in the semis after being sidelined by a back injury.