The seasoned setter made things look easy for PLDT’s designated hitters, her excellent ball distribution baffling the Chargers defense upfront that paved the way for a cluster of points, the last using Dell Palomata as decoy, leaving Fil-Canadian Savannah Davison virtually free for an unmolested match-clinching kill.
Palomata went on to fire 13 points, including 10 on quick attacks, to earn the game’s best player honors but it was Dimaculangan who stood out in the one-hour, 28-minute duel which the High Speed Hitters dominated from the start.
The former UST star finished with 15 excellent sets and added four points, including two aces, as PLDT recovered from a stinging four-set setback to sister team Cignal in last Sunday’s opening of the season-ending conference organized by Sports Vision.
“We re-focused and tried to recover from our past mistakes,” said Palomata, who also had two blocks and an ace.
PLDT’s victory likewise left Chery Tiggo alone on top as the High Speed Hitters spoiled the Chargers’ bid for a follow-up to their surprise five-set reversal over the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers last Tuesday.
Earlier, the Crossovers dispatched the Galeries Tower Highrisers with a methodical 25-14, 25-18, 25-21 win to seize the solo lead with a 2-0 slate, counting their scrambling three-set win over the Farm Fresh Foxies, also last Tuesday.
Davison scored 19 points, including 14 attack points and three blocks, while Erika Santos and the power-hitting Honey Royse Tubino added 12 and 11 points, respectively, for the High Speed Hitters, who overpowered the Chargers, 51-33, in attacks.
PLDT also pounced on Akari’s sloppy service reception, netting eight aces while giving up just one to the Chargers, who however yielded just nine unforced errors against the High Speed Hitters’ 13.
Faith Nisperos led Akari with 11 points while Dindin Manabat ended up with 10 markers and Joy Soyud and Fifi Sharma added seven and five points, respectively, for the Chargers, who tried to extend the match by grabbing the lead twice late in the third, the last at 22-21 on a Santos mishit.
But Dimaculangan set up Mika Reyes for a quick attack to draw level then Jessey de Leon delivered an ace and the High Speed Hitters moved to match point on a costly Nisperos attack error.
