Motolite now tied for third after thumping Army

Motolite enhanced its bid for a better semifinal seeding as it pounded PacificTown-Army, 25-21, 25-23, 25-14, to move to joint third with BanKo-Perlas in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan on Saturday.

Tots Carlos unloaded another 14-hit game, which Myla Pablo matched in just two sets, while Isa Molde ably backed them up with 10 as Motolite overcame Army’s pressure in the first two sets before cruising in the next to complete the 81-minute rout.

It was Motolite’s third straight win and 10th overall against five defeats, catching BanKo-Perlas at third in a spirited battle for the Top 2 and 3 rankings among three teams, including second running PetroGazz (10-4).

Motolite, which subdued Army in five sets in their first round clash on Sept. 1, went up by just five spikes in its power duel with the veteran Army side, 43-38, and even lost by one in blocking, 4-5. But it produced two more aces and cashed in on its rivals’ miscues.

Motolite scored 23 points off Army’s errors while yielding 12 as the team stayed on track for at least the No. 3 spot in an attempt to face unbeaten Creamline early on in the Final Four.