Hero Austria lifted Imus-Ivy Tuason Photography to a 25-20, 23-25, 25-22, 25-19 win over National University-Archipelago and guarantee themselves a spot in the semifinals of the Spikers' Turf Open Conference at the Paco Arena in Manila on Sunday, March 12.
Austria tallied 22 points off 20 attacks, a block and an ace as the AJAA Spikers nailed their seventh win against three losses to notch the second Final Four spot.
Kim Malabunga added 12 points, while Ridz Muhali and Francis Saure had 11 points apiece for the Cavite-based squad.
Imus head coach Sammy Acaylar said that he was happy with the result but is still far from satisfied.
“Of course I'm happy, it’s great na nanalo kami but hindi ako satisfied pa rin sa performance ng team ko kasi I know how they play,” Acaylar said.
“So each and everyone of them meron naman silang skills, sometimes lang nag-la-lapse because kampante sila sa sarili nila. That’s it, masaya naman ako,” he added.
National University-Archipelago was spearheaded by Mac Bandola who listed 21 points on 19 attacks in an effort that went down the drain as they dropped to a 1-7 record. (*MARK REY MONTEJO, OJT*)