BaliPure plays spoiler’s role

MANILA, Philippines — Out of the semifinal race, BaliPure put up one big fight worthy of a crack for a spot in post-season play of the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference, stunning playoff contender Air Force, 25-23, 12-25, 27-29, 25-23, 15-11, at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan yesterday.

Their fourth win against 10 defeats hardly matted in BaliPure’s botched campaign in the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision but coach Rommel Abella credited his wards’ gutsy stand that hampered Air Force’s own semifinal drive.

BanKo-Perlas matched its straight-set romp over Motolite last week with a 25-7, 25-16, 25-17 victory over winless Chef’s Classics in the other game to wrest solo third at 8-5, just behind a streaking PetroGazz side, which kept its hold of No. 2 with 9-2 slate aided by an eight-game win streak.