MPVA: Biñan underdog in Finals showdown vs Quezon

Biñan Tatak Gel 1-Pacman Partylist No.3 Volley Angels face tough test against Quezon in the MPVA championship round. –HANDOUT PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — It’s going to be David and Goliath in the 2024 Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA) finale as underdog Biñan battles the top seed Quezon in a best-of-three championship series.

Biñan Tatak Gel 1-Pacman Partylist pulled off the improbable and eliminated the twice-to-beat Bacoor, 25-21, 26-24, 25-21, in just 86 minutes in their rubber semifinal match on Wednesday night at Alonte Sports Arena in Laguna.

Riding on the crest of their Game 1 sweep, the No.3 Volley Angels won the matches that mattered most against the Strikers, who swept them in the double-round elimination.

READ: MPVA: Quezon reaches finals, Biñan forces decider

Erika Jin Deloria rose to the occasion anew for Biñan with 16 points on 15 hits and an ace, replicating her top-scoring performance in their 25-18, 25-18, 25-16 victory in Game 1.

Shane Carmona and May Ann Nuique also stepped up with 11 points each for the Volley Angels, who avenged their 19-25, 23-25, 20-25 and 25-20, 22-25, 16-25, 25-21, 3-15 defeat in the prelims.

Deloria anchored Biñan’s comeback from a 13-16 deficit highlighted by the set-clinching attack to take a 2-0 lead.

READ: MPVA: Bacoor escapes Biñan to open second round

Carmona and Nuique joined hands to put on the finishing touches in the third. Irene Zenneth Perolino and Jen Kylene Villegas added seven and five points, respectively,

Game 1 of the finals of MPVA, founded by former Senator and MPBL chairman Manny Pacquiao and organized by the Volleyball Masters of the Philippines, is on Monday at Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan.

Games 2 and 3 will be hosted by the Quezon Tangerines, led by stars Rhea Densing and Mycah Go, holding the matches at Quezon Convention Center in Lucena and South Quezon Convention Center in Gumaca, respectively.

Bacoor, the inaugural MPVA champion without the home-and-away format, has been relegated to the bronze medal game against No.4 Rizal.

Like in Game 1, Cyrille Joie Alemeniana was the lone double-digit scorer with 15 points for Bacoor.