Navy tossers advance

Manila Standard Today, Monday, August 15,2011

BIG SERVING Philippine Navy routered Air Force with its vaunted attacking game, cruising to a 25-18, 25-15,25-17 victory and joining San Sebastian in the quarterfinal round of the Shakey's V-League Open Conference at The arena in San Juan yesterday.

The Navy tossers unloaded 39 kills as against Air Force's 22 and scored 10 points off the serve to dominate the one-hour, 12-minute encounter and post their third straight win since dropping a four-setter to unbeaten Army in the league sponsored by Shakey's Pizza.

Former most valuable player Nerissa Bautista unleashed five power-packed serves and finished with 16 points, while Suzzane Roces, a former two-time MVP, had four service aces and wound up with 15 hits as the Navy ladies cut the Air Force side down to size in the absence of ace hitter Cherry Rose Macatangay.

Air Force tried to mount a rally in the third, winning four straight points to close within 16-21 but Bautista and Rose Prochina came through with a pair of hits and Navy held Air Force to just one point to wrap up the match.

"We cashed in our offense, which has so many variations and our defense also held up," said Roces, who bagged the Player of the Game award after finishing with 110 kills and one block.

Macatangay, who normed 14 hits in the first four games, sat out the game with a knee injury, but former UST star Aiza Maizo failed to draw solid support from the rest of the team, which took its third loss against two wins in the league backed by Accel, Mikasa and Maynilad Water.