PSL: Cocolife blanks Cignal
Published Apr 18, 2018 12:00 am
By Jerome Lagunzad
Games Tuesday: (Filoil Flying V Centre)
4:15 pm – Petron vs Cocolife
6:00 pm – F2 Logistics vs Foton
Sara Klisura of CocolifeSkipper Sara Klisura took charge offensively while fellow Serbian Marta Drpa provided the defensive intensity as Cocolife eliminated injury-riddled Cignal, 25-22, 25-21, 28-26, last night and advanced to the 2018 Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix semifinals at The Arena in San Juan City.
The hard-hitting Klisura rammed in 16 points, 13 of them on the offensive end, while Drpa highlighted her 19-point production with four of the team’s eight kill blocks as the No. 3 Asset Managers outshone the No. 6 HD Spikers in one hour and 24 minutes of play.
With the straight-sets victory, Cocolife forged what promises to be an explosive best-of-three semifinals showdown with powerhouse Petron, the second-ranked team which made quick work of No. 7 Generika-Ayala in an earlier quarterfinals duel.
As convincing the victory was, the Asset Managers were still made to sweat by the HD Spikers especially in the third and decisive set despite the absence of injured import Sonja Milanovic due to a severe right ankle sprain.
“We knew it's going to be a tough game for us. Even if they played without (one of) their best players it was very hard for us,” said Klisura, who delivered one vicious kill after another in the third set, the last of them forging a 26-all count.
An unforced error by middle blocker Shirley Salamagos proved costly for Cignal before opposite hitter Honey Royse Tubino denied counterpart Rachel Anne Daquis’ attack at the net, enabling Cocolife to seal the deal in style.
Without Milanovic, American import Stiix Horton and veteran Rachel Anne Daquis carried the offensive cudgels for the HD Spikers, who also lost outside hitter Jannine Navarro due to a bleeding nose after being hit by Horton with an inadvertent elbow midway in the third set.
Meanwhile, Channon Thompson made her presence felt as she towed Foton to a 25-22, 25-23, 25-19 victory over Sta. Lucia Realty to grab the last remaining semifinal seat in the second game.
Thompson, who starred for Trinidad and Tobago national women’s team in various international tournaments, tallied 24 of the Tornadoes’ 46 total attacks to finish with 26 points in a furious battle that lasted for 80 minutes.
Dindin Manabat chipped in 11 hits while Elizabeth Wendel and CJ Rosario combined for 14 markers for Foton, which will face reigning champion F2 Logistics in the best-of-three semifinals starting next week.
“I told the team that we should want it more than them,” said Foton coach Rommel Abella, who paraded two new players in Diana Carlos and Isa Molde.
“I commend the ladies for following our game plan. They showed that they are hungrier than Sta. Lucia.”
Ukrainian Bohdana Anisova drilled 11 kills and two blocks for 14 points while MJ Philips had eight for the Lady Realtors, who bombed out of contention after making a strong run in the latter stretch of the tourney.
Sara Klisura of CocolifeSkipper Sara Klisura took charge offensively while fellow Serbian Marta Drpa provided the defensive intensity as Cocolife eliminated injury-riddled Cignal, 25-22, 25-21, 28-26, last night and advanced to the 2018 Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix semifinals at The Arena in San Juan City.
The hard-hitting Klisura rammed in 16 points, 13 of them on the offensive end, while Drpa highlighted her 19-point production with four of the team’s eight kill blocks as the No. 3 Asset Managers outshone the No. 6 HD Spikers in one hour and 24 minutes of play.
With the straight-sets victory, Cocolife forged what promises to be an explosive best-of-three semifinals showdown with powerhouse Petron, the second-ranked team which made quick work of No. 7 Generika-Ayala in an earlier quarterfinals duel.
As convincing the victory was, the Asset Managers were still made to sweat by the HD Spikers especially in the third and decisive set despite the absence of injured import Sonja Milanovic due to a severe right ankle sprain.
“We knew it's going to be a tough game for us. Even if they played without (one of) their best players it was very hard for us,” said Klisura, who delivered one vicious kill after another in the third set, the last of them forging a 26-all count.
An unforced error by middle blocker Shirley Salamagos proved costly for Cignal before opposite hitter Honey Royse Tubino denied counterpart Rachel Anne Daquis’ attack at the net, enabling Cocolife to seal the deal in style.
Without Milanovic, American import Stiix Horton and veteran Rachel Anne Daquis carried the offensive cudgels for the HD Spikers, who also lost outside hitter Jannine Navarro due to a bleeding nose after being hit by Horton with an inadvertent elbow midway in the third set.
Meanwhile, Channon Thompson made her presence felt as she towed Foton to a 25-22, 25-23, 25-19 victory over Sta. Lucia Realty to grab the last remaining semifinal seat in the second game.
Thompson, who starred for Trinidad and Tobago national women’s team in various international tournaments, tallied 24 of the Tornadoes’ 46 total attacks to finish with 26 points in a furious battle that lasted for 80 minutes.
Dindin Manabat chipped in 11 hits while Elizabeth Wendel and CJ Rosario combined for 14 markers for Foton, which will face reigning champion F2 Logistics in the best-of-three semifinals starting next week.
“I told the team that we should want it more than them,” said Foton coach Rommel Abella, who paraded two new players in Diana Carlos and Isa Molde.
“I commend the ladies for following our game plan. They showed that they are hungrier than Sta. Lucia.”
Ukrainian Bohdana Anisova drilled 11 kills and two blocks for 14 points while MJ Philips had eight for the Lady Realtors, who bombed out of contention after making a strong run in the latter stretch of the tourney.