Air Force shoots down BaliPure

Dell Palomata rose from the bench to lift Air Force to a 23-25, 25-21, 25-19, 18-25, 15-11 triumph over BaliPure Sunday night in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference at Filoil Flying V Center.

The 21-year-old middle blocker, subbing for Angel Antipuesto, made the best of the playing time given her as she unloaded 13 points aside from providing a menacing presence for the Jet Spikers.

At 6-foot-2, the Bacolod-native terrorized the net and delivered the key points, including her team’s final two for their third win in four starts.

“We were able to bring back the confidence and communication inside the court,” said Jocemer Tapic, the middle blocker who finished with 17 points.

It didn’t come that easy for Air Force which raced to 20-18 lead in the opening frame only to witness BaliPure storm away with the set on the heroics of Risa Sato, Jerrili Malabanan, Aiko Urdas and Grethcel Soltones.

BaliPure lost grip in the next two sets but fought hard in the fourth to force a deciding fifth.

But the Jet Spikers were bent on snatching the win, zooming to an 11-4 lead on Tapic’s scoring binge.

BaliPure tried to come back through the efforts of Sato, Soltones and Malabanan to no avail.

Iari Yongco added 16 points for Air Force which tied idle Pocari for second place.