VNS squandered a four-point lead in the third set but staved off four set points to secure a 25-21, 25-17, 29-27 victory against Martelli Meats at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig on Sunday, wheeling the Griffins back into early contention in the Spikers’ Turf elimination round.
What started as a seemingly one-sided affair took a dramatic turn in the third set, as the Master Butchers mounted a spirited comeback. Though the Griffins, with several of their players out due to flu-like symptoms, dominated the first two sets and much of the third, they found themselves under pressure as Martelli Meats surged with powerful blocking and late-game resilience.
The tide turned in crunch time, testing the Griffins' resolve as their opponents struck back with a determined push, nearly forcing the match to extend.
But Benjaylo Labide, Christian Olaes and Titus Villacrusis stepped up in the clutch, delivering when it mattered most. He first saved the Griffins from a fourth set point with a crucial kill at 26-all, then followed it up with a deft drop shot that forced the Master Butchers into a net violation.
Martelli Meats, however, didn’t go down quietly. Razzel Palisoc hammered a vicious kill off Jan Mangulabnan's overpass to save a match point. But the Griffins quickly responded, as Titus Villacrusis' quick attack and Kim Liray’s decisive swipe led to a block touch that sealed the one-hour, 28-minute victory for VNS.
Martelli Meats challenged the final call, but video review confirmed the ball had grazed the finger of a Master Butcher player, handing VNS the point and the match.
“Maganda naman ‘yung ginalaw nila. Actually may problem kami kasi ang daming may flu samin. ‘Yung middle blocker ko wala, ‘yung (Roderick) Medino na starter ko, hindi pa rin siya okay. Galing siya sa five-day na flu eh, ‘di pa siya nakaka-recover,” said VNS head coach Ralph Ocampo.
“So ‘yung first two sets namin, setter talaga laro ni (Howard) Guerra eh, so talagang adjust kami sa training and ayun, we just prepared all the players to be ready in case na matawag namin sila to serve the team,” he added.
The win was a much-needed bounce-back for the Griffins after suffering a straight-set defeat to the Criss Cross King Crunchers last Wednesday. The victory propelled VNS to fifth place in the 10-team field, while Martelli Meats fell to 0-2.
“Trust in our teammates and coaches was key, and we stuck to the system all throughout,” said CJ Segui in Filipino, who earned player-of-the-game honors with a 14-point output. “We didn’t give up and showed our composure in the stretch.”
Reflecting on their two contrasting results in the tournament so far, Perez emphasized the need for the Griffins to cut down on errors and improve their blocking and defense as they look to contend for the rest of the season-ending conference.
Liray matched Segui’s scoring output with the latter also showcasing his defensive prowess by coming through with a 14-reception, 10-dig performance.
Olaes scored 10 markers on seven attacks and three blocks, while Villacrusis and Manuel Medina, still recovering from illness, added eight and six points, for VNS, which will take on Savouge tomorrow (Tuesday) at 4 p.m. at the Santa Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna.
Meanwhile, Andrei Bundoc and Jerome Cordez led Martelli Meats with 10 and nine markers, respectively, while Palisoc and Angelo Reyes each chipped in eight points.
The Master Butchers will face the EcoOil-La Salle side at 2 p.m. on Sunday, back at the Ynares arena.
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