BANKO and Pacifictown-Army clash for the third semifinals berth in the last day of elimination round of Premier Volleyball League Season 3 Reinforced Conference on Saturday at the Arena in San Juan City.
The Perlas Spikers and Lady Troopers, who are tied with 4-5 win-loss record, dispute a Final Four spot in the 2 p.m. game of the all-important tripleheader.
The winner will join league leaders PetroGazz and Creamline, who are tied with 8-1 slates, in the Final Four and will face the No.2 team in a best-of-three semis series starting on Wednesday.
The Perlas Spikers are coming off back-to-back wins over Motolite and BaliPure through Nicole Tiamzon’s clutch plays.
“We can’t afford na maging complacent ang hirap umasa sa panalo or talo ng ibang kalaban,” said Tiamzon, who will lead the team that's also featuring imports Yasemin Yildirim and Sutadta Chuewulim with locals Kathy Bersola, Sue Roces, Dzi Gervacio and Jem Ferrer.
The Lady Troopers suffered the contrast with a two-game skid to PetroGazz and Creamline but Jovelyn Gonzaga and her teammates seek to show sense of urgency in their situation.
“It’s a must-win talaga para hindi na namin mapagod ang sarili namin. Instead na magpi-playoff pa kami ng Sunday para makakapag-focus na kami sa next training namin [for semis],” said Gonzaga, who has imports Olena Lymareva-Flink and Jenelle Jordan as well as locals Royse Tubino, Alina Bicar and Nene Bautista on her back.
The fate of the loser between BanKo and Pacifictown-Army depends on the result of the 6 p.m. battle between the back-against-the-wall Motolite (3-6) and PetroGazz.
If Motolite falls to PetroGazz, the loser will clinch the No.4 seed and will face the Angels in the best-of-three semis.
If Motolite upsets PetroGazz, it will live another day and force a playoff for the No.4 spot with the loser of BanKo-Army game on Sunday.
PetroGazz, led by super imports Janisa Johnson and Wilma Salas, has to beat Motolite to secure the No.1 spot and complete the Final Four picture for both BanKo and Army.
Creamline, which battles winless BaliPure (0-9) at 4 p.m., still has a chance to steal the No.1 spot to PetroGazz as long as the defending champion ends the elims with nine straight wins paired with Motolite’s victory over the Angels.
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