RC Cola-PAF conquers Super Liga leader Petron

RC COLA-AIR FORCE dealt a first loss on league-leader Petron yesterday in yet another upset in the women’s division of the Philippine Superliga Grand Prix volleyball presented by Asics at Cuneta Astrodome.

Combining the hustle of the imports and a show of spunk from the locals, the Raiders did what the rest of the league have been wanting to do with a 25-20, 25-20, 16-25, 25-22 conquest of the Blaze Spikers.

RC Cola’s Emily Brown and Bonita Wise more than held their own against the more popular Petron pair of Alaina Bergsma and Erica Adachi as the Raiders bounced back after a stunning setback from tailender Foton last Saturday.

Brown finished with 17 points, Wise added 13 and the two imports got enough support from locals like Joy Cases who made 14 points and Maika Ortiz who accounted for 11. Iari Yongco wound up with seven.

The win boosted the Raiders back to second place at 4-3 behind Petron’s 6-1 card.

In the second women’s game, Generika bested Mane ‘N Tail, 25-22, 27-29, 25-18, 22-25, 15-12, to continue its rise in the standings at 4-3, tying RC Cola at second place.

Natalia Korobkova had a breakthrough game, firing 33 points, while Stephanie Mercado added 19 for the Life Savers who spoiled another explosive evening by Kristy Jaeckel who had 39 markers.

By staying in the game and refusing to let Petron pull away, RC Cola nailed the first two sets with late attacks  led by Brown and Wise.
Bergsma, who led the game scorers with 25 points, then rallied Petron in the third where it took as large as  a 10-point lead to stay alive.
But the Raiders again caught fire in the next set, forging ahead at 19-14 lead before Brown clinched the win by blocking a Bergsma spike.
Petron finished with more blocks at 10-8, but RC Cola-PAF had more aces, 8-5. Petron also had more excellent digs, 47-41, through Bergsma and Jen Reyes, and led by a couple of excellent sets (48-46).