Perpetual-Kinto Tyres flirted with disaster but pulled through in the decider as Don Pacundo-DLSU Dasmariñas fouled up with a spate of errors, squeaking out a 25-10, 19-25, 25-16, 19-25, 15-6 decision to barge into the quarterfinal round of the Spikers’ Turf Invitational at the Paco Arena in Manila Wednesday.
The Altas shattered a 2-all count in the fifth set by scoring eight unanswered points, aided by the Patriots’ five errors, including four mishits, as the former turned what initially seemed like a tight battle into a runaway victory.
Perpetual finished the single round robin elims with a 4-1 slate in Pool A and matched Army and Sta. Elena-National U’s outputs. But the Altas took the second quarters slot next to the Nationals with higher tiebreak points over the Troopers.
“Yun ang sinasabi natin, sometimes kahit ini-expect na mananalo ka, mase-straight sets mo, sometimes kasi makikita mo sa galaw ng mga bata na sobra silang overconfident,” rued Altas head coach Sammy Acaylar.
Perpetual came into the match the heavy favorite and dominated DLSU Dasmariñas in the first set but hobbled in the second and fourth sets, enabling the Patriots to fight back and force a fifth set.
But the high-flying, crisp hitting Popoy Alabin misfired in the stretch, committing a total of four attack errors, including three straight that enabled the Altas to pull away at 10-3.
Paul Malaiba tried to step up for the Patriots and came up with back-to-back hits to cut the Altas lead at 6-13. But Jason Marapoc and Kylie Gelogo finished off the Patriots with back-to-back hits.
DLSU Dasmarinas wound up with a 0-5 card but showed lots of promise with their gritty plays and impressive hitting.
But after forcing the decider, the Patriots cracked under pressure for the second straight time while playing the full route. They also blew a 2-1 set lead and yielded to the Troopers last Nov. 22.
But they appeared poised to spoil the Altas’ quarters bid and give the Troopers a free ride to the playoffs. After skipper Val Sasis made a service error to give the Altas a 3-2 lead,however, the Las Piñas-based squad came through with back-to-back kill blocks and went 4-points up off a Renz Cruz error.
DLSU-Dasmariñas coach Jerome Mirano sued for time and Alabin snapped their spell with a resounding kill but after Perpetual’s Klint Mateo scored on a combo play that made it 7-3, Alabin went 0-of-3 in attacks and coupled with a Cruz net touch, the Altas stormed way ahead at 11-3.
The Altas cruised to victory – and the quarters – by outscoring the Patriots in the stretch, 4-3, with Gelogo making the most of his last-minute appearance with a power tip.
