RC Cola-AF tests Santiago’s Petron today

CAN THE league’s hottest team stop the league’s hottest player?

Top squad RC Cola-Air Force tries to pull this off when it battles a Petron side led by rookie scoring machine Dindin Santiago today in the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference volleyball tournament at Cuneta Astrodome.

The Raiders will gun for a fourth straight win against  Petron at 3 p.m. still riding high on a five-set decision over   hard-fighting Cagayan Valley (21-25, 25-14, 19-25, 25-19, 15-12) after two straight-sets victories.

“I’m confident that we will win (a five-setter) because with the hard work we are putting on training I’m sure we have the stamina,” said coach Clarence Esteban of RC Cola-Air Force after its conquest of Cagayan.

But it’s going to be a different story against Petron which will have the 6-foot-2 UAAP star Santiago in its fold. Santiago scored the league-record 37 points right in her PSL debut against PLDT Home Tvolution, and unloaded 31  against Cagayan Valley.

“Petron is a tough team,” admitted Esteban. “They are all tall and they know how to win. We have to make some adjustments and make things a little more difficult for Dindin. She will be our focus.”

Another unbeaten team Air Asia will clash with veteran team Generika-Army in the other women’s match at 5 p.m.

The Flying Spikers will be led by another collegiate stalwart Abby Marano who this early has carved a niche for herself in this tough semi-professional league.

Systema and Via Mare will gun for the elusive first victory when they battle at 7 p.m. in the men’s division of this competition organized by Sports Core with Solar Sports as the official broadcast partner.