Daquis out as RC-Army tackles peaking Foton squad

RACHEL Anne Daquis will be out of commission as three-time champion RC Cola-Army guns for a place in the title series against streaking Foton today in the Philippine Superliga All Filipino Conference women’s volleyball at Malolos Convention Center in Bulacan.

The 6-foot highly popular open spiker hurt her left foot in the eliminations and doctors determined she sustained bone spurs on her heels that would sideline her for as long as two weeks.

“I would like to play; I think I still can,” said Daquis. But she added that it’s up to the evaluation of RC Cola-Army coach Emilio “Kungfu” Reyes in today’s knockout semifinals.

The winner in the 6 p.m. match will face either F2 Logistics and Petron which clash in the other semifinal bracket on Saturday at FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan City.

“We are like a rocket that zoomed up and then went down,” said Reyes of his team, which suffered four straight defeats. “But I have confidence in my players that they will step up in the crucial games.”

He said Daquis is good for 15 to 17 points per game.

That would mean Jovelyn Gonzaga will have to work double time and underrated hitter Nene Bautista and veteran Tina Salak will have to step up.

Generika and Amy’s clash in the opening match at 4 p.m. to determine which teams make the 5th to 8th placings.

RC Cola-Army will have to put up with a streaking Foton squad made up of equally exciting youngsters like Jaja Santiago, Cherry Rondina and EJ Laure.

“We are peaking at the right time. The morale is high and the mood in training is lively,” said Foton coach Vilet Ponce-de Leon.