Lady Warriors overpower Transformers, near crown

MANILA, Philippines - Bracing for a down-to the-wire duel, Pocari Sweat came away with a straight-set win instead, dominating Customs with its awesome power game and terrific blocking and reception for a 25-22, 25-18, 25-18 victory in Game One of the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Reinforced Conference Finals before a big Saturday crowd at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

Import Breanna Mackie, Myla Pablo, Michelle Gumabao and Elaine Kasilag provided the firepower that the Transformers practically had no answer for and the Lady Warriors frustrated the fancied Alyssa Valdez and Thai Kanjana Kuthaisong all game with their solid blocking to fashion out the surprisingly one-sided victory.

The 77-minute win thus moved Pocari a win away from going two-for-two on its maiden season after beating Air Force to claim the Open Conference diadem early in the year.

Customs actually matched Pocari’s power hits at 30 each but the Lady Warriors produced 15 blocks, 10 more than their rivals to underscore their superiority upfront.

The Lady Warriors shoot for the clincher at 6 p.m. tomorrow.

Outclassed in the first two sets, the Transformers took the first two points in the third but yielded the initiative just as quickly as the Lady Warriors, with their offense going full throttle, taking charge again at 12-9 and 15-12 before taking a five-point cushion at 21-16 on a Kay Kacsits attack.

Pocari also cashed in heavily on Customs’ erratic plays.

That included a Valdez attack error that saw the ball hit the antenna and Pocari padded its lead to six at 22-16 before Mackie and Kacsits combined to foil another Valdez attack for a big seven-point lead.

The Transformers scored two more points, including a block on Kasilag, who also put the Lady Warriors on match point with a block of her own before clinching it for Pocari with a down-the-line hit.

Mackie and Gumabao finished with 13 hits apiece while Kacsits and Desiree Dadang fired seven markers each and Pablo added six points for Pocari.

Valdez wound up with 12 points, way below her 19-hit norm in the elims and semis while Kuthaisong was held to just eight markers.

Earlier, BaliPure pulled through in a highly charged duel, beating UST, 19-25, 25-16, 25-18, 25-18, to zero in on the bronze medal in their side of the best-of-three playoff for third.