ILOCOS NORTE – Petro Gazz flashed superb hitting and blocking to dash Sta. Lucia’s semifinal hopes, romping off with a 25-13, 25-21, 25-22 victory on Thursday night to complete the Final Four cast in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference at the PCV Socio-Civic Cultural Center in Bacarra.
The Angels used strong finishing kicks to frustrate the Lady Realtors, including in the third when they fought back from 15-17 by winning 10 of the last 15 points, the last two courtesy of Sta. Lucia’s miscues for the semis-clinching sixth win against two setbacks.
Sta, Lucia, which had hoped to close out its campaign on a five-win run for a shot at playoff for the last semis berth, ended up fifth with a 5-4 mark.
Petro Gazz’s victory, its fifth straight, likewise formalized idle Choco Mucho (6-1) and Chery Tiggo’s (6-2) march to the Final Four, reducing the last two elims playdates to virtual tune-up matches for the semifinalists and final standings.
Those include the Creamline-Perlas clash at 1 p.m. and Choco Mucho-Petro Gazz tussle at 4 p.m. today and tomorrow’s game pitting the Flying Titans against the Crossovers, also at 4 p.m.
Creamline took the first semis berth with a come-from-behind five-set win over previously unbeaten Choco Mucho late Wednesday for a 7-1 slate.
Black Mamba Army, meanwhile, fought back from a set down to beat Perlas, 23-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-13, for its third victory against five losses for solo sixth.
The Spikers failed to sustain their fine start, succumbing to the Lady Troopers’ power game in the next two before getting overwhelmed in the fourth to join the Cignal HD Spikers at ninth at 1-6.
Meanwhile, PLDT Home Fibr notched its second straight win after dropping its first six games, blasting BaliPure, 25-17, 25-15, 25-19, in a duel of ousted teams.
Jorelle Singh unloaded a 16-attack game, Toni Rose Basas and Aiko Urdas scored seven points each while Isa Molde and Kath Villegas added six and five points, respectively, to steer the Power Hitters to the 65-minute win.
The Water Defenders, who drew just nine hits from top player Grazielle Bombita and a couple of seven points from Gyra Barroga and Genevieve Casugod, took their fifth straight loss after a fine 2-1 start for joint seventh with their tormentors.