Two matches decide third-ranked team

MALOLOS CITY–The race for No. 3 reaches its climax Tuesday as Foton and Cignal battle separate foes when the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference returns to Malolos Sports and Convention Center here.

The Tornadoes tackle winless Marinerang Pilipina at 4:15 p.m. while the HD Spikers collide with F2 Logistics in the 7 p.m. main game, with Cignal up for a tough task as the powerhouse Cargo Movers are coming off a two-game losing streak and are obviously itching to get back on the right track.

Qualifying with the highest rank possible is important since, for all intents and purposes, it would mean battling a lighter foe in the knockout quarterfinals.

Numbers 1 and 2 have already been taken by league-leader Petron and F2, respectively, leaving idle Generika-Ayala with the view from above, so to speak, as it is still a half-a-game ahead of Foton and Cignal, which is tied for fourth spot at 7-6.

A win by the HD Spikers would put them in a tie with Generika and No. 3 because of a better quotient.

For Foton to bag No. 3, the Tornadoes would need to beat the Lady Skippers convincingly and pray for the Cargo Movers to dominate the HD Spikers to win in the tiebreak with Generika.

Every team will advance to the quarterfinals, even the 0-13 Marinerang Pilipina, which will be No. 8 and will battle No. 1 ranked Petron, which closed out with a 13-1 slate.

No. 2 will battle No. 7; No. 3 takes on No. 6 and Nos. 4 and 5 collide in KO matches to determine the semifinalists.

“This is our best and only chance to get the third spot so we have to give it our all,” said Cignal head coach Edgar Barroga, who will surely take advantage of the bruised morale of the Cargo Movers following their back-to-back losses to the Blaze Spikers and the Power Hitters, respectively.