A clash of the tournament’s super imports sizzle Tuesday when unbeaten RC Cola-Air Force collide with defending champion Petron in the Philippine Superliga Grand Prix women’s volleyball at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
Puerto Rican national team ace Lynda Morales and fellow import Sara McClinton will lead a Raiders side gunning for win No. 2 against a squad that has seemingly lost its cloak of invincibility.
The champion in the two previous conferences, the Blaze Spikers have absorbed two defeats in four games with the league’s talented bunch of imports proving to be game-changers.
“We can’t rely on the imports alone,” said RC Cola-Air Force coach Rhovyl Verayo. “We still have a lot to improve on. Lynda [Morales] is a very good player but as a team we need to step up.”
Despite its recent 25-20, 17-25, 20-25, 25-21, 15-13 win over Meralco, RC Cola displayed chinks on its armor as liberos Anna Camille Abanto and Mary Anna Balmaceda struggled to fuel the team’s offense.
Petron is coming off a 25-20, 21-25, 16-25, 25-22, 15-12 defeat to Philips Gold and looks shaken despite its solid, strong local core.
The Blaze Spikers boast of the offense-minded Dindin Manabat, Rachel Daquis and Aby Marano and an excellent setter in Brazilian Erica Adachi.
In today’s other game at 6:15 p.m., Philips Gold clashes with a La Salle-powered Meralco squad that is still trying to jell with its imports
With Bojana Todorovic and Alexis Olgard getting their range and working seamlessly with Myra Pablo and other locals, the Lady Slammers should be the heavy favorite in the match.