Lady Strikers near MPVA semis bonus

Bacoor made it back-to-back wins at home after smothering WCC Marikina, 25-10, 25-14, 25-19, to bolster its twice-to-beat bid in the 2024 Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA) late Monday night at the Bacoor Strike Gym in Cavite.

The Strikers hardly broke a sweat in dispatching the winless Lady Shoemasters to climb to 11-3 for now a solo second spot with two games to play in this tourney founded by former senator Manny Pacquiao.

Prior to that, Bacoor scooped a 25-14, 25-18, 25-22 win over also-ran Valenzuela Classy over the weekend to complete the Final Four cast with the Quezon Tangerines (14-1), Rizal St. Gerrard Charity Foundation (10-4) and Biñan Tatak Gel (10-5).

But this big win pushed the Lady Strikers past Rizal and Biñan for the coveted second seed and the last semis bonus behind another balanced attack.

Cyrille Alemeniana showed the way anew with 13 points on 11 hits and two aces as the Lady Strikers needed only 67 minutes to finish the Lady Shoemasters.

Winnie Bedania and Daizerlyn Joyce Uy chalked up 11 points apiece while Jemalyn Menor had eight points for Bacoor, which will clinch the second seed if it sweeps its last two games.

Meanwhile, No.1 seed Quezon remains steady with a 25-19, 25-14, 25-19 sweep of San Juan for a 14-1 record.

Mary Grace Borromeo scored 14 points while Rhea Mae Densing and Francis Mycah Go added nine points each for the expansion but already formidable squad in the nine-team MPVA backed by Extreme One-Stop Shop Appliances, ASICS, Mikasa and Gerflor with MPTV and Outcomm as broadcast partners.

In the other game, Valenzuela bounced back with a 25-21, 8-25, 25-20, 25-14 win over ICC Negros following a straight-set loss to Bacoor on the road.