ARMY fought its way through quarterfinals contention in style, upending erstwhile unbeaten National U-Sta. Elena 25-22, 22-25, 25-22, 25-22 in a highly-charged Sunday thriller in the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference at the Paco Arena in Manila.
Mark Enciso, Benjaylo Labide, and Wewe Medina combined to lift the Troopers to the much-needed victory over one of the league’s fancied teams, catching them at the helm of Pool A play with 4-1 (win-loss) records.
But the Troopers’ playoffs fate hinges on the result of the Kinto Tyres-Perpetual (3-1)-Don Pacundo-DLSU Dasmariñas (0-4) this Wednesday. A Perpetual victory will force a three-way tie at the top among NU and Army, with the Altas and the Nationals advancing due to higher tiebreak points over the Troopers.
But a reversal will send the Troopers to the knockout phase of the season-ending tournament organized by Sports Vision.
“Proud na proud talaga ako sa team na ‘to kasi yung preparation namin, nakita namin na maganda ‘yung resulta. Maganda ‘yung kinalabasan. Naglaro kami kung ano talaga ‘yung Army,” said Army coach Melvin Carolino.
Earlier, MKA-San Beda ended its Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference stint on a winning mode, thwarting SASKIN-PCU Dasmarinas, 25-22, 25-21, 25-23.
The Red Spikers weathered a late Dolphins’ surge in the third set to close out their campaign in the tournament organized by Sports Vision with a 2-3 (win-loss) mark in Pool B.
PCU Dasmariñas wound up with a 0-5 slate.
Trailing by three points heading to the stretch of the fourth set, the Troopers went to Labide, who responded with three hits in a big 6-0 binge that put Army on top, 19-17.
Nico Almendras’ cross-court hit kept the Nationals within a point but Labide delivered another back-to-back attacks for a 21-18 Army lead.
Labide committed a net touch in the ensuing play, while Michaelo Buddin’s consecutive hits tied the match. But Kevin Liberato and Enciso scored back-to-back hits to regain the lead for the Troopers. And after Buddin fired another off-the-block hit, Enciso hammered down a couple of down-the-line blasts to finish off the Nationals.
