ILOILO bucked every challenge posted by Philippine Army to book a 17-25, 25-20, 26-24, 25-18 victory and extend its strong start in the 2023 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference Sunday at Paco Arena in Manila.
Jade Disquitado, a member of the national pool, again led the D’Navigators with 19 points, 18 of which were attacks. Jerome Cordez provided support with 14 points.
Setter JM Apolinario controlled the game with 27 excellent sets and two blocks, while Neil De Pedro showcased his versatility with nine points and 14 excellent receptions.
The Troopers dominated the first set—behind Kevin Liberato, Mark Enciso and Benjaylo Labide—25-17.
“I told them they needed to work harder,” D’Navigators’ head coach John Kenneth Panes said. “They needed to do their part or we’ll lose. I’m glad they listened.”
Iloilo improved to 4-0 won-lost to stay ahead of idle Cotabato and Cignal. Philippine Army dropped to 2-2 to remain at fifth place in the 11-team league.
“Our job is not done yet, there is still room for improvement and we cannot be complacent,” Panes said. “We need to keep working because we still have many games left.”
Iloilo will have two weeks of rest as Disquitado joins the national team’s 10-day training camp in Chinese-Taipei. The D’Navigators will return on March 1 to face PGJC-Navy.
Kevin Liberato had 19 points in the losing effort, while Benjaylo Labide scored 13 points. PJ Rojas and Mark Enciso each scored 10 points, with Rojas adding nine excellent receptions.
In a thrilling match later in the day, VNS displayed its composure at the crucial moment and defeated National University-Archipelago with a nail-biting 25-21, 25-21, 19-25, 20-25, 17-15 result.