Pocari’s Shakey’s V-L drive gets going

TITLE favorite Pocari Sweat starts its campaign for a second straight title when it takes on Air Force today in the Shakey’s V-League Reinforced Conference at Philsports Arena.

The Lady Warriors, champions of the Open Conference, will battle the Jet Spikers in a rematch of their Finals showdown last July.

But this time, the Lady Warriors will have two foreign players, Andrea Kacsits and Breanna Mackie, joining forces with the local lineup led by Michele Gumabao.

The Jet Spikers will have to make do with an all-Filipino front as they hope to bounce back from an opening-day defeat at the hands of University of Santo Tomas.

Hard-spiking Myla Pablo, Elaine Kasilag, Gyzel Sy, libero Melissa Gohing and setter Iris Tolenada will backstop the Lady Warriors in the 4 p.m. match.

Expected to steal the limelight from them is Alyssa Valdez and her Bureau of Customs squad which will gun for win No. 2 against early winner Laoag.

The Customs bench is also expected to finally field in its Thai reinforcements Natthanicha Jaisaen and Kanjana Kuthaisong, who were benched until they obtained International Transfer Certificate.

The Transformers downed University of the Philippines, 25-23, 25-18, 25-23, last Monday. The Power Smashers opened their campaign with a 25-8, 25-15, 25-16 win over Coast Guard last Saturday.