MANILA, Philippines – Bali Pure is slowly but surely emerging a legitimate title-contender.
After starting the Shakey's V-League Season 13-Reinforced Conference with a painful four-set defeat to Santo Tomas, Bali Pure has found a way to get it together by grounding Alyssa Valdez and Customs, 26-24, 25-21, 25-21, Wednesday night at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
The Purest Water Defenders held the power-hitting Valdez to just 16 hits after the country's most popular and best player exploded with a league-high 39-point effort in an 18-25, 27-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-9 win over the Laoag Power Smashers on October 5.
It was Bali Pure's first win in two starts.
"We were really preparing for her mainly because we know her attacks are really incredible. We worked on our defense and our counterattack more," said Bali Pure captain Charo Soriano referring to Valdez.
"We were telling ourselves that if we can stop Alyssa, it’s gonna be easier for us to get the win, although we still have to work hard as a team," she added.
Unlike in their 25-21, 21-25, 23-25, 13-25 defeat the Tigresses, Soriano said they are now trying to resolve their chemistry issues on the fly.
"We’re more solid as a team now. We were really working on our defense and our counterattacks. We moved unified now compared to our first game. Last game, we were scrappy, but it’s understandable because it’s our first game," she said.
It also helped that their coach Tai Bundit, Ateneo's Thai coach, finally returned after missing their first game because he had to go back to Thailand for eye check up.
"Coach Tai also helped a lot, instructing us were to be, reminding us what to do," said Soriano.
Kaylee Manns, Bali Pure's American setter, for her part, said the team is starting to come together.
"After our last game, we talked and we said, ‘that’s not us.’ I think we had overlooked ust, defense-wise, we were better. It was a lot, lot better than the last time. It was a good team effort, not one person," said Manns.