AIR Force bagged its second win the PVL Open Conference, beating Choco Mucho, 26-24, 14-25, 21-25, 25-22, 15-7, on Wednesday at The Arena in San Juan.
Dell Palomata led the way for the Lady Jet Spikers with 16 points, Angel Antipuesto added 16, while Jozza Cabalsa came off the bench to chip in 11 in the match that took two hours and 16 minutes to finish.
“Sabi ko sa kanila hindi tayo pwedeng parang diesel [sa fifth set] kailangan ilayo natin kung maaari,” said Air Force coach Jasper Jimenez, whose team scored five of its 12 service aces in the fifth set.
“’Di tayo pwedeng dumikit dito kasi ang kompyansa niyan kailangan mabali natin. Kailangan bumalik sa atin ang kompyansa,” he added.
Trailing by seven points, 12-19, in the fourth set, Air Force turned the tables to its favor to drag Choco Mucho to a deciding set.
The Lady Jet Spikers took control of the fifth set with a 9-2 run for a comfortable, 10-4, lead and held on to hand the Flying Titans their fourth straight loss.
Air Force improved its win-loss record to 2-5, tied with its victim.
Kat Tolentino’s 30 points went down the drain, while Arriana Angustia and Maddie Madayag combined for 25 markers and Bang Pineda had 41 digs for Choco Mucho.
It was Madayag's last match before she leaves for Bangkok on Sunday to join the national team for the training camp ahead of the Southeast Asian Grand Prix from Sept. 20 to 22 at Nakhon Ratchasima.
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