PVL: Lady Red Spikers blast Stags on Racraquin return
Games today (Sunday)
9 a.m. – La Salle vs San Beda (men’s)
11 a.m. – FEU vs National U (men’s)
2 p.m. – Perpetual Help vs FEU (women’s)
4 p.m. – Adamson vs UP (women’s)
Cesca Racraquin turned in an 18-hit performance in her return from injury, powering San Beda to a 25-23, 21-25, 25-20, 25-16 victory over San Sebastian yesterday and reviving the Lady Red Spikers’ semifinal hopes in the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Collegiate Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.
Racraquin pumped in nine attack points and cashed in on the Lady Stags’ sloppy reception to deliver nine aces as the Red Spikers recovered from a second set defeat to check a three-game slide while ousting their rivals from the race in the mid-season conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.
“This game is very important. In our losses, I knew that they lacked a leader, so it’s really frustrating. Now, my focus is to lead this team,” said Racraquin, who missed the first three matches due to knee and ankle injuries.
Nieza Viray fired 15 points while Satrriani Espiritu added 13 markers for San Beda, which will next take on Perpetual Help on Aug. 19.
Joyce Sta. Rita and Sofia Sarmiento combined for 23 points for San Sebastian, which took its fifth straight loss.
In men’s division, UST held sway in all three sets and foiled Adamson, 25-22, 26-24, 25-22, clinching the first semifinal berth with a fifth straight victory in the league backed by Mikasa and Asics.
Joshua Umandal unleashed a 19-kill game and added three aces and a block to finish with 23 points while Manuel Medina added 10 markers and came through with 18 excellent receptions for the Tigers, who prevailed despite yielding 31 points off errors.
The Falcons, led by Paolo Pablico’s 11 hits, absorbed their second straight defeat after a sweep of their first four matches.
UP also swept Perpetual Help in the other men’s match, scoring a 25-23, 25-17, 27-25 victory to hike its record to 3-2.
Mac Millete and Joshua Castillo combined for 27 hits as the Fighting Maroons pulled through in the opening frame, dominated the next before surviving the Altas’ fightback in the third to complete the romp.
Perpetual, which drew a combined 24-hit effort from Joebert Almodiel and Ronniel Rosales, fell to 1-5.
