PGJC-Navy shrugged off another wobbly start with a strong rebound, essaying a 19-25, 25-18, 25-17, 25-21 victory over VNS-Alicia on Saturday that impeded the Griffins’ drive for an outright semis berth while giving at least two other teams a shot for the last Final Four seat in the Spikers’ Turf Open Conference.
Like in their last two victories that saw them drop the opening set before sweeping the next three, including their shock four-set reversal over back-to-back defending champion Cignal HD Spikers last Tuesday, the Sealions regrouped from the second set on, posting a pair of imposing wins before foiling the Griffins late charge in the fourth.
Greg Dolor and Jao Umandal combined for 33 points as they led the Sealions 50-hit assault with Ron Rosales and Peter Quiel backing them up with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Navy also won the net duel, coming through with 13 blocks, four more than their rivals, who produced a 44-attack showing on the combined 24-point output of Ben San Andres and Uriel Mendoza.
The Griffins tied the count at 20 in the fourth but yielded five points of the last six, including a block off San Andres’ soft hit that clinched the win for the surging Sealions, who tied the HD Spikers at second with 4-1 slates with the NU-Sta. Elena Nationals still lording it over the seven-team field with four straight wins.
The Nationals were gunning for their fifth victory against the embattled Ateneo Blue Eagles side at the Paco Arena at presstime.
The loss stalled VNS at 2-3, still at solo fourth but just behind the Griffins at 1-4 are Army, Santa Rosa and Ateneo, heading to the final elims playdate on Tuesday.
The Troopers, who stayed in the hunt with a five-set escape over Santa Rosa last Thursday, seek to force a tie for fourth against the Griffins at 2:30 p.m. while the City Lions will have a tougher task against the Sealions at 11:30 a.m.
Ateneo’s fate will be known later in the day.
Kevin Montemayor finished with 10 points while Ron Adviento and Kim Malabunga each had nine points for the Griffins, who started out strong but failed to maintain their charge in the face of the Sealions’ comeback.
The high-flying Dolor and Umandal took turns in the delivering the hits with the former pumping in the bulk of his 17-point output in the second and third quarters while the latter sustaining another game-long brilliance.
