Super Liga semifinals up at MOA Arena

MANILA, Philippines - To bring volleyball action closer and more accessible to the fans, the Philippine Super Liga women’s volley tournament will hold the semifinal round at the MOA Arena starting next week.

A three-day breather could be enough for four teams to regroup as they press their respective bids for the last two semifinals slots in crucial matches at the Philsports Arena tomorrow.

Bannered by former Ateneo hotshots Charo Soriano, Fille Cainglet and Gretchen Ho, third seed Petron tries to get back at sixth seed Bingo Milyonaryo, whose core is made up of former collegiate rivals from La Salle like Maureen Penetrante, Chie Saet and Michelle Gumabao. 

In the other quarterfinal pairing, No. 4 Cagayan Valley guns for the elusive semis slot against fifth seed PLDT-MyDSL, a rock-solid squad which has in its lineup former Adamson aces like Pau Soriano, Angela Benting and Charmaine Moralde.

In their first encounter, the Blaze Spikers drew enough firepower from Aiza Maizo and Cainglet to pull off an 18-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-16 triumph over the Puffins. 

The Rising Suns, meanwhile, banked on Adamson star Shiela Pineda to overcome the Speed Boosters, 25-16, 25-17, 27-29, 25-23.

But the quarterfinals is a different story.

“It’s going to be difficult,” Petron coach Villet Ponce-de Leon said. “We have to be ready for whatever kind of game they will put up against us. It’s a battle for survival. We have to do our homework and come here with a proper mindset.”

The winner of the Petron-Bingo Milyonaryo showdown faces second seed Cignal while the victor in the Cagayan Valley-PLDT-My DSL tiff battles top seed TMS-Philippine Army in the Final Four. 

Meanwhile, gallery tickets for the semis will be sold for P50, lower box for P100 and P200 for the ringside seats.

Tickets will be sold starting July 19 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Philsports-Ultra Ticketing Office in Pasig City and at the Sportscore Office, Unit 220, Cityland Vito Cruz Tower 1, 720 Vito Cruz St., Manila from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.