BanKo-Perlas nears semis

ABS-CBN Sports Image Unbeaten BanKo-Perlas cashed in on its top form and defeated BaliPure-NU, 25-19, 22-25, 25-14, 25-19, in the penultimate quarterfinal play date of the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Reinforced Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

The Perlas Spikers bounced back strong from their second set defeat with a pair of emphatic victories, using their power, blocking prowess and experience to finally eliminate the young BaliPure side that had hoped for a big reversal after leveling the match in the second frame.

But imports Kia Bright and Au Montripila took charge in offense while Sue Roces, Dzi Gervacio and the rest of the locals put in their share to secure the victory and remain the only unbeaten squad in the quarters.

But at 4-0, the team still needs to hurdle PetroGazz Wednesday to formalize its semis entry in the season-opening conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.

BaliPure fell to 1-3 and out of the race to join early semifinalists Creamline and PayMaya.

Earlier, the PetroGazz Angels fueled their own semis drive with a dominating 25-19, 25-14, 25-19 victory over the ousted Iriga-Navy Lady Oragons for a 3-1 card that tied them up with the Pocari-Air Force Lady Warriors.

Pocari, meanwhile, is tipped to get past winless Tacloban at press time for an expected 4-1 slate, making the BanKo-Perlas-PetroGazz duel an all-important clash between the two contenders.

Ukrainian Anastasiia Trach, who took a backseat upon the arrival of fellow import Olena Lymareva-Flink early in the elims, got untracked again and fired 17 points, including 15 attack points, as she spearheaded the Angels’ third straight lopsided triumph that kept them in the hunt for one of the last two semis seats in the tournament backed by Mikasa and Asics.