MANILA – California Precision Sports pulled off a stunner in the PNVF Champions League with a 18-25, 12-25, 25-22, 25-14, 15-13 beating of Petro Gazz Angels on Wednesday at the Aquamarine Recreational Center in Lipa, Batangas.
Jelaica Gajero and Casiey Dongallo provided the spark for the Antipolo-based varsity team. They battled back from two sets down to beat the one-time Premier Volleyball League champions Angels.
Petro Gazz leaned on experience in the first two sets with lopsided wins but California Precision Sports went toe-to-toe with the professional volleybelles in the third and fourth set to force a deciding fifth set.
California Precision Sports carried its momentum into the fifth set. They surged to an 8-5 lead before widening it to 11-6 on three straight points by Gajero, including a block on Angels star Myla Pablo.
Petro Gazz made a counter rally behind Gretchel Soltones to trim the deficit to 12-13 but California Precision Sports answered with a conversion from Gajero to reach the match point at 14-12.
The Angels stayed alive after another attack point from Soltones to cut the deficit to 13-14 before California Precision Sports closed the match on Joven Soliven conversion.
The defeat was a heartbreaker for the Angels. They dropped to 2-2 and snapped their championship hopes. California Precision Sports ended the tournamesnt with a 2-3 win-loss record.
On Tuesday night, F2 Logistics Cargo Movers moved closer to PNVF Champions League coronation by sweeping Tuguegarao-Perlas Spikers, 25-18, 25-18, 25-19.
Kim Kianna Dy spearheaded the offense with 12 points. Iris Tolenada, Ilongga Abigail Maraño and Mary Joy Baron ended with 10 markers each for the Cargo Movers.
The Cargo Movers can clinch the PNVF Champions League women’s division title when it defeats newly-crowned Premier Volleyball League titlist Chery Tiggo Crossovers (3-1) at the close of the tournament tonight.
The team with the best record after the competition will be crowned champions and will represent the country in the Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship in May 2022./PN