PLDT rose from a heartbreaker of a setback in the third set with a crushing win in the next then battled back from four points down in the decider to hammer out a 17-25, 25-20, 24-26, 25-11, 15-11 decision over UAI-Army at the start of the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the Sta. Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna, Saturday.
Russian import Elena Samoilenko shook off an early struggle with an explosive finish, pouring in three backrow hits in the stretch, the last capping their fightback from 1-5 down and spiking her awesome 35-point debut in the Season 14-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.
The 6-5 Samoilenko was so impressive that she kept on delivering the points from behind the line with Mika Reyes providing a clutch block off Jovelyn Gonzaga and the High Speed Hitters also pouncing on an Army’s passing error that put PLDT at match point, 14-10.
But playmaker Rhea Dimaculangan gave Army a respite with a flawed serve in the ensuing play before setting up Samoilenko for the clincher in the two-hour, six-minute encounter in a finish that should set the tone of the battle in the single round elims of the import-laced tournament.
PLDT, which finished fifth in the Open Conference and placed fourth in the Invitationals, earlier reeled from a sorry setback in the pivotal third as Army picked on the former’s erratic game and scored 12 points off unforced errors while yielding just one of its own.
But it was Samoilenko’s backrow attack that sailed long that helped anchor Army’s strong finish as the Lady Troopers tied the set at 23 before Honey Royse Tubino stepped up and scored the last two points on a block off Fiola Ceballos and a soft hit to an unguarded spot on Zone 5.
In a replay, however, Samoilenko’s hit grazed the fingers of an Army defender.
But the High Speed Hitters lived through that break and dominated the fourth with both coaches George Pascua (PLDT) and Kungfu Reyes (Army) opting to rest their respective reinforcements in anticipation of a grueling duel in the fifth.
Army got the better of PLDT and scored five of the first six points but the High Speed Hitters recovered in time to force a tie at 7 behind Samoilenko and Reyes aided by a couple of the Lady Troopers’ miscues.
Chin Basas backed Samoilenko with 11 points while Reyes, Dell Palomata and Ceballos scored 10 points apiece and Dimaculangan added seven points for PLDT, which banged in 66 attack points, 15 more than Army.
The tall frontline of PLDT also produced 10 blocks against Army’s four but must make the necessary adjustments when they set for their second game against powerhouse and grand slam-seeking Creamline on Thursday after giving up 33 points on miscues.
Army, which yielded 21 unforced errors, drew 17 points apiece from Condotta and Tubino but Gonzaga settled for eight points and Jeanette Villareal and Ivy Perez combined for 12 points.
