Army takes first blood in V-League semis against Air Force

By: Bong Lozada - 10 years ago

Phl Army’s Jovelyn Gonzaga for a high looping kill off Mary Ann Pantino and Liza Deramos of the Air Force at the San Juan Arena. AUGUST DELA CRUZ/INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines-It’s the ground troops that launched the first offensive.

Battling in the semifinals leg of the Shakey’s V-League, the Philippine Army Lady Troopers shot down the aerial attack of the Philippine Air Force Air Spikers in four sets, 24-26, 25-19, 25-20, 25-19, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.

Joanne Bunag, who sat out the first set, launched the shot that grounded the Air Spikers with a spike that bounced off the PAF defense.

Army head coach Rico de Guzman said his team just needed to trust their game and shake off the first set anxiety to finish off the Air Force.

“We had flaws in our receive game, especially in the first set,” de Guzman said. “I just told them that they need to trust their game.”

“Don’t be afraid of making mistakes.”

Air Spiker Judy Caballejo hit a crosscourt shot that tied the game at 16-all, but the Army went on a 7-1 offensive, building a six-point fort, 23-17.

With his team playing like a well-oiled tank, de Guzman said that other players stepped up for the dismal performance of Rachel Ann Daquis who was feeling under the weather.

He pointed out the efforts of Bunag who carried the load for Daquis, who only had four points in the match.

“Joanne really helped us, she had that effect on the players who duked it out,” de Guzman said.

Jovelyn Gonzaga led the blitzkrieg for Army with 18 points while four others scored in double digits for the Lady Troopers.

Genie Sabas was second-in-command with 14, while Mary Jean Balse added 13, Nerissa Bautista had 11 and late-game heroine Bunag chipped in 10.

Judy Caballejo led the botched aerial offensive of the Air Spikers with 16 points, while Mary Ann Pantino and Liza Deramos added 15 and 11, respectively.