Reyes, PLDT make quick work of depleted Chery
PLDT’s Mika Reyes (right) scales the defense of Chery Tiggo’s Mylene Paat. —PVL PHOTO
PLDT Home Fibr had one goal: Make sure Chery Tiggo’s tattered roster wouldn’t unearth saviors and spoil its debut in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference.
Mika Reyes and her teammates completed that task swiftly.
The Power Hitters cruised past a decimated Crossovers crew, 25-18, 25-19, 25-14, on Tuesday at Filoil Flying V Centre, with Reyes leading the way in the 84-minute showcase.
And while PLDT had a smooth run, powerhouse Creamline went through some rough waters before dispatching Petro Gazz, 25-22, 23-25, 25-22, 25-20, to also get its campaign off on the right foot.
Tots Carlos came away with 18 points, Jema Galanza pumped in 17 hits and Risa Sato chipped in 11 for the Cool Smashers, who are looking for a second straight title after ruling the Open Conference last April with a sweep of the Angels.
“We’ve been training hard, pushing ourselves,” Reyes, the middle blocker out of the vaunted La Salle program, said. “Winning our first game is so important but we need to practice more and polish everything.”
Reyes finished with 15 points on 12 attacks and three blocks while Chin Chin Basas added 14 for PLDT.
“We’re getting the kind of chemistry we were missing in the past,” said PLDT coach George Pascua. “We wanted to start strong and our goal was to win our first game and we hope to sustain the momentum.”
Whatever momentum the Power Hitters may have built will face a stern test on Saturday, when PLDT faces tournament favorite Creamline.
And Pascua may not have gotten enough of a challenge for his team against a depleted Chery squad which was missing serious firepower.
The Crossovers were still without star Dindin Santiago-Manabat, who is nursing an injury, and four other players—EJ Laure, Buding Duremdes, Alina Bicar and Justine Dorog—due to the league’s health and safety protocols.
That allowed PLDT to throw the full weight of its roster against Chery. Aside from Reyes and Basas, the Power Hitters also drew big performances from Jules Samonte, Fiola Ceballos and Rhea Dimaculangan, who tossed 21 excellent sets to run the PLDT offense.
PLDT dominated Chery Tiggo statistically, finishing with twice as many hits at 48. The Power Hitters also had six aces compared to the Crossovers’ two. INQ
