By Ivan Saldajeno
PASAY--After surviving a five-set showdown against Shopinas, Petron needed four set before trouncing Philips, 25-23, 25-16, 22-25, 25-17, to begin their respective second round campaigns in the PLDT Home Ultera-Philippine Super Liga All-Filipino Conference at the Cuneta Astrodome on Monday night.
Unlike their first meeting on opening night, the Lady Slammers gave the Blaze Spikers, who are still feeling some fatigue from their full-length match against the Lady Clickers, a harder time in the first set as they kept in pace before their opponents took the period.
Petron then got its game going in the second set, dominating the frame before withstanding a mini rally by Philips to come close to winning its sixth straight match.
Philips, however, opened a 13-6 lead in the third set, and despite Petron's late stand, succeeded in extending the match.
The Lady Slammers still kept close on the Blaze Spikers in Set 4, but they began losing steam when Myla Pablo suffered cramps in the late stages of the match. Maica Morado sealed the Blaze Spikers' win with back-to-back aces.
Pablo and Dindin Manabat once again engaged in a scoring battle, but Manabat prevailed this time as she made 23 points compared to Pablo's 17.
Rachel Anne Daquis came off the bench and added 12 markers for Petron. Michelle Gumabao was the second leading scorer for Philips with 15.
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