Air Force nips Laoag, gains finals

PHILIPPINE Air Force’s march to the title round didn’t go as easy as planned, but it might just be what the Jet Spikers need against a fancied Finals foe.

Finding strength when it mattered, the Jet Spikers outlasted the Laoag Power Smashers, 25-14, 25-20, 19-25, 21-25, 15-10, to clinch the first championship berth in the Shakey’s V-League Season 13 Open Conference yesterday at Filoil Flying V Centre.

Judy Caballejo erupted for 23 points, highlighted by key hits in the fifth frame that pushed the Jet Spikers ahead, 11-8, against the tenacious Power Smashers.

“We got overconfident that’s why we failed to sustain our momentum,” said Air Force coach Jasper Jimenez after Game 2 of the best-of-three series. “Good thing we were able to recover in the fifth set.”

After winning Game 1 in straight sets, the Jet Spikers looked headed for a repeat after a 2-0 lead starting with a dominant opening frame, 25-14.

But the fourth-seeded Power Smashers rode on the big game of Jessica Galanza to forge a deciding set.

May Ann Pantino, who teamed of with Caballejo for six of the team’s 10 aces, finished with 17 points, while Joy Cases also scored 14 for the Jet Spikers.

Even as the No. 1 seed, the Jet Spikers will go up against a loaded squad in Bali Pure or Pocari Sweat, the antagonists in the other semifinal pairing.

The Power Smashers came to life in the third set, surging to a 21-12 advantage behind Galanza before wrapping it up at 25-19.

Showing the same grit in the fourth frame, the Power Smashers incredibly rallied to forge a decider by drilling 10 of the set’s last 13 points, 25-21.

In men’s action, streaking Cignal and Air Force swept their semifinal opponents to arrange a title duel in the Spikers’ Turf Season 2 Open Conference.

The HD Spikers will head into the Finals unbeaten (7-0) after blasting Sta. Elena Construction, 25-23, 25-16, 25-17, in Game 2 of the Final Four series.