Air Force strikes Cignal, nears title

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Air Force leaned on a balanced attack as it downed Cignal HD TV, 25-15, 19-25, 25-19, 25-19, yesterday to move within a win of the Spikers’ Turf Season 1-Collegiate Conference title at The Arena in San Juan City.

Raiders coach Rhovyl Verayo relied on a compact six-man rotation headed by the power-spiking Jeffry Malabanan, who led his team with 17 points, in taking Game One in the best-of-three title showdown.

Rodolfo Labrador, Reyson Fuentes, Ruben Inaudito, Edwin Tolentino and Malabanan scored practically the whole production of the soaring Air Force.

Aside from the setter and libero Raffy Mosuela, Verayo used only two other players – Mike Abria and Pitrus de Ocampo – and rode on the exploits of his top players to take the win.

“We decided to go with our main guys because they’ve been playing well the whole conference,” said Verayo.

 The Raiders will have a chance to wrap it all up on Wednesday at 3 p.m.

While Air Force employed a select few, the HD Spikers dug deep from their bench headed by Edmar Bonono and Lorenzo Capate Jr., who unloaded a combined 30 points.

It was not enough though to slow down a rampaging Air Force side, which moved on the cusp of making history and becoming the league’s first ever Reinforced Conference.

Earlier, PLDT Home Ultera overcame a fiesty Navy, 25-14, 25-22, 23-25, 25-19, to move on the verge of clinching third place.