M.Lhuillier stops Hiroshi in friendly

The M.Lhuillier All-Stars showed steely nerves to win the best-of-five exhibition series against rivals Hiroshi at the Boljoon Sports Complex.     .

The M.Lhuillier volleybelles won the series 3-2 after stopping Hiroshi in a thrilling deciding game, 25-22, 23-25, 16-25, 27-25, 15-12.

The M. Lhuillier All-Stars took the lead after the first set but Hiroshi stormed back into the match by wining the next two sets.

Hiroshi was comfortably ahead in the fourth and rested some its starters. That turned out to a big mistake as M. Lhuillier All-Stars turned the game around.

Genie Sabas teamed up with Jussabelle Brillo, Janiz Igot and Michelle Matuguina to rally M. Lhuillier to victory in the fourth set to force a decider.

Prior to the rubbermatch, M. Lhuillier All-Stars and Hiroshi were deadlocked with two wins apiece after four games. M. Lhuillier won the opening tussle but gave up the next two games then forced a winner-take-all match by the taking the fourth game.

The winning M. Lhuillier All-Stars received a cash prize of P6,000 while Hiroshi went home with P4,000.

The M.Lhuillier Sports and Development Foundation (MLSDF) donated half of the prize through its executive director Eddie Ybanez. The rest of the prize money was raised by the organizers from Boljoon who invited the volleyball squads.—Caecent No-ot Magsumbol