MANILA – MRT-Negros failed to clinch a semifinals seat in the PNVF Champions League men’s tournament due to a 25-21, 25-19, 25-23 defeat to Global Remit on Wednesday at the Aquamarine Sports Complex in Lipa, Batangas.
The defeat relegated the Negros Occidental-based volleybelles to classification phase where it faces Basilan Steel Spikers Amin-Anak Mindanao at 1:30 p.m. today.
A victory against Basilan will move the MRT-Negros to the next phase of the classification round against Sabong International Spikers for a chance to finish at fifth place. A loss by the Negrenses to Basilan will net them the seventh and last place in the tournament.
The Global Remit showed its determination in the first two sets with quick starts en route to dominant set wins. They were, however, pushed to the limit by the MRT-Negros in the third set.
Global Remit were comfortably ahead 23-15 in the third period but MRT-Negros came up with a huge rally behind Jet Nonoy and Jian Salarzon to trim the deficit to 23-24 until Joeven Dela Vega made the game-winning hit for Global Remit.
Dela Vega tallied with 12 points, on 10 attacks and two blocks. Josh Villanueva and Alex Disquitado chipped in 11 and nine, respectively, while Ish Polvorosa tossed 18 excellent sets laced with two points and three excellent digs for Global Remit.
“Thankful kami. Hanggang sa huli kumapit kami. Meron pa kaming pag-asa sa semis,” said Global Remit head coach Egay Rusit. “Ang tagal naming nabuo (ang team), halos three days lang yata kami nakapagbola.”
“Ang hirap bago namin nagawa ito kasi alam nga natin pandemic. Buti nakuha namin ‘yung game. Habang tumatagal ‘yung game, nakukuha namin nang maayos. Kumbaga ngayon lang kami nabubuo,” he added.
Salarzon finished with double-double 12 points and 11 excellent receptions, while Nonoy chipped in 10 markers for the MRT-Negros.
Meanwhile, Team Dasmariñas completed a three-match sweep of Pool B with a 25-20, 25-21, 25-23 victory over Sabong International Spikers (SIS), while VNS Manileño Spikers fashioned out a 25-17, 25-22, 25-23 win over the Basilan Steel Spikers in Pool A./PN
