Ultra Fast Spikers a win from crown

Minutes before the match, PLDT Home Ultera got a preview of a championship celebration.

And the Ultra Fast Spikers obviously want to enjoy the same winning moment as they trounced Cagayan Valley, 25-22, 21-25, 25-23, 25-12, to move within a win of bagging the championship in the inaugural Spikers’ Turf Open Conference Sunday at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Mark Alfafara pumped in 18 points, the last on an emphatic kill that sealed the match and gave the Ultra Fast Spikers a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three men’s volleyball title series after their female counterparts captured the Shakey’s
V-League Open conference crown with a thrilling five-set conquest of Army in their rubber match.

“Seeing [our women’s team] win the championship was a good factor; we were also inspired,” said PLDT coach Odjie Mamon.

John Vic de Guzman also fired 12 of his 13 points off attacks to help lift the Ultra Fast Spikers, who clinched the win with a lopsided 25-12 fourth set after three tightly fought frames.

PLDT, still unbeaten after the eliminations, will shoot for a series sweep in Game 2 at 4 p.m. on Tuesday also in San Juan.

Earlier, Philippine Air Force tripped Cignal, 25-20, 21-25, 16-25, 25-23, 15-12, to take a 1-0 lead in their own best-of-three battle for third.

The Ultra Fast Spikers zoomed to a huge 18-10 advantage in the fourth set as errors compounded the Rising Suns’ woes.

Although Cagayan’s explosive duo of Marck Espejo (18 points) and Peter Torres (15 points) still got away with big numbers, PLDT’s defense frustrated them.

Howad Mojica and Kheeno Franco added 11 points each for the Utra Fast Spikers, who topped the semifinals with a 3-0 record.

The Rising Suns ruled the eliminations at 6-1, then absorbed their lone semifinal loss versus the Ultra Fast Spikers for a 2-1 slate.