PLDT, Meralco in vital game; IEM wants piece of lead

MANILA, Philippines - PLDT Home Telpad takes on winless Meralco today, hoping to score a victory and stay in the hunt for the second finals berth in women’s play even as Instituto Estetico Manila seeks to re-join idle Systema in the men’s lead in the Shakey’s V-League Season 11 Third Conference at The Arena in San Juan.

In third with a 1-2 card, the Turbo Boosters set out for the all-important win against the Power Spikers, whom they swept in their first round face-off last Oct. 9, only to drop their next two matches to the Cagayan Valley Rising Suns and the unbeaten Army Lady Troopers.

Those setbacks sent PLDT Home Telpad to the brink with three games left in its schedule in the double-round elims among four teams in the season-ending conference sponsored by Shakey’s and backed by Mikasa and Accel.

Meralco, on the other hand, is virtually out of the race with a 0-4 card although it still hopes to sweep its last two games and pray that Cagayan and PLDT won’t go over two wins to force a playoff for the last finals berth.

Gametime is at 6 p.m.

IEM, meanwhile, tries to get back at first round tormentor Rizal Technological University in their 4 p.m. duel with the Volley Masters confident of breaking its win-loss-win start with another victory keeping it alongside Systema in the lead.

But with a 1-2 card, the Blue Thunder must also pile up as many wins as they could to remain at the title race.

Games can be viewed live via streaming on www.v-league.ph, according to the organizing Sports Vision.

Meanwhile, Army bucked the absence of ace hitter Rachel Ann Daquis to thwart the upset bid of Meralco, 25-23, 23-25, 25-20, 25-19, late Sunday to all but nail the first championship berth.

Mary Jean Balse and Nerissa Bautista uncorked 15 hits apiece while Dindin Santiago and setter Tina Salak added 11 markers each as the Lady Troopers booked their fourth straight victory, moving two wins away from sweeping the elims.

“We needed players to step up because we knew beforehand that Rachel isn’t playing today (yesterday),” said Army coach Rico de Guzman, referring to the former FEU star who served as Globalport’s muse in the PBA Season 40 opener also last Sunday. “I’m glad Ging (Balse) and Nene (Bautista) filled that hole.”