HD Spikers keep clean Liga slate

PETRON weathered a late-game turbulence to eke out a 25-18, 25-12, 18-25, 16-25, 16-14 win over Cignal yesterday and remain unbeaten in the Philippine Superliga volleyball Grand Prix presented by Asics at Cuneta Astrodome.

Just when they thought they had left the HD Spikers for dead, the Blaze Spikers put down their defenses and wasted a two sets-to-love lead, forcing the scrambling finish.

In the second women’s match, Generika scored back-to-back victories after downing Foton, 25-22, 25-15, 25-18. It was the Life Savers’ third win in six games that tied them with the HD Spikers. The Tornadoes absorbed their sixth defeat in seven games.

Lindsay Stalzer almost singlehandedly tried to rally the HD Spikers after two anemic sets, trading kills and blocks with Petron’s main girl Alaina Bergsma to make sure they stay alive for another set.

Stalzer finished with 27 points, 24 on kills. But she was silent in the crucial part of the fifth set when the Blaze Spikers stood firm on defense and forced Cignal to commit mistakes.

After a Carmina Aganon error made it 9-9, Bergsma went into action and gave Petron a 13-12 lead. But Cignal fought hard to take a 14-13 lead before Aganon redeemed herself with a spike for 14-all.

That’s when Petron’s experience in big games came into play. After a heated exchange, Cherryy May Vivas hit wide for Petron’s 15-14 before Erica Adachi blocked Stalzer for the win.