GENERIKA-Army crowned itself Philippine Super Liga champion for the third straight time as it dumped RC Cola-Air Force, 25-22, 25-19, 25-16, during the All-Filipino Conference Finals before a huge Saturday crowd at the Astrodome.
Ging Balse finished with 16 points, while Rachel Anne Daquis, Nene Bautista, and Jovelyn Gonzaga combined for 26 points in the title-clinching win that took the Lady Troopers just an hour and 18 minutes to complete.
The Lady Troopers remain as the only team to win a Super Liga title after winning the inaugural conference and the Grand Prix last year.
They began their campaign by losing their first two games, but romped off to a third straight Finals stint after stringing together six straight wins following the return of Most Valuable Player Tina Salak.
Army coach Rico de Guzman later admitted there is pressure from the higher-ups for Army to keep its winning tradition in the league.
"May pressure galing sa Army na kami pa rin ang mag-champion, may pressure na mag-three peat kami," said de Guzman.
"Pero masaya kami kasi nagbunga lahat ng pinag-hirapan namin sa training at dito sa games dahil naka-three peat kami," he added.
The Lady Troopers broke away from a tied 8-all contest in the third set by stringing in seven consecutive points, before widening the gap at 24-13 for the clincher.
Joy Cases and Judy Ann Caballejo finished with 12 and 11 points respectively for RC Cola-Air Force, which settled for the runner-up finish after placing sixth in the previous edition of the tournament.
Meanwhile, Stephanie Mercado of AirAsia was named first best outside spiker, Cases the second outside spiker, first best middle blocker was Abi Marano and Balse as the second best middle blocker.
Completing the individual award were best opposite spiker Sue Roces of PLDT, best setter Rhea Dimaculangan of RC Cola-Air Force, and best libero LIzlee Ann Pantone also of PLDT.
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