Angels, HD Spikers notch second win

VOLLEY

Petro Gazz picked up from where it left off sweeping past expansion team Farm Fresh, 25-21, 31-29, 25-17, for its second straight win in the resumption of Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference action yesterday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Veterans Grethcel Soltones and Aiza Maizo-Pontillas found their mark on offense to help the Angels improve to a 2-1 win-loss record tied with Cignal in Pool B despite getting plagued by errors in the first two sets.

Soltones punched in 15 of her 16 points from attacks and was active on defense with nine digs while Pontillas added 15 markers for Petro Gazz.

Although the game went the Angels' way, head coach Oliver Almadro expressed concern about his wards' miscues in their return to battle after the league took a 10-day break to give way to the country's hosting of the Men's Volleyball Nations League Week 3.

Petro Gazz gave away 30 points to Farm Fresh off errors with 21 coming in the first two sets alone.

"I'm happy with how my players performed today but in the first two sets, we committed 21 errors, which was maximized by Farm Fresh," Almadro said.

"I'm happy we were able to minimize it in the third. Consistency matters. If you will be consistent, you can bring this momentum towards the next game," the mentor added as his squad prepares for battle against F2 Logistics on Thursday at 12 noon.

The Angels faced tough resistance from the young but feisty Foxies in the second set as Farm Fresh threatened to steal the extended frame.

Petro Gazz had to save three set point advantages before new recruit KC Galdones scored off a kill block to break a 29-29 deadlock. The Angels escaped the 41-minute frame after Kate Santiago put too much power on her spike that went long.

In the second game, Ces Molina showed the way in Cignal's 25-10, 25-16, 25-22, demolition of listless Foton.

Molina posted a game-high 16 points highlighted by 15 kills and tallied 10 digs for the HD Spikers, who only needed 72 minutes to dissolve the Tornadoes.

Jovelyn Gonzaga had 14 markers, Roselyn Doria produced 10 points while Ria Meneses scored eight including the game-winning tip for the Cignal.

Gel Cayuna dished out 22 excellent sets that helped the HD Spikers outgun the Tornadoes, 56-26, in kills.

Both Farm Fresh and Foton dropped their third straight game in as many games, pushing them on the brink of bombing out of the race for the two semis seats at stake.

Shaya Adorador toiled for 13 points with all her points coming off spikes but her efforts came into naught for the Tornadoes.