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| Ivan Saldajeno |
By Ivan Saldajeno
PASAY—Petron just took out the brooms!
The Blaze Spikers finished the PLDT Home Ultera-Philippine Super Liga All-Filipino Conference 13-0 with a 25-17, 22-25, 30-28, 25-17 win against the Shopinas Lady Clickers in Game 2 of the best-of-three finals series in front of a loud crowd inside the Cuneta Astrodome on Thursday night.
Unlike the series opener in Imus on Monday, Shopinas made it a bit interesting this time.
The Lady Clickers, led by Cha Cruz, Rizza Mandapat, and Steph Mercado, forced a fourth set after bouncing back from a Set 1 loss with the Set 2 win, leading 24-18 late in the set before withstanding a late Blaze Spikers rally.
Shopinas then came close to winning the third set as the team fought back from a mid-period rally by Petron to come to within set point.
But the Lady Clickers began to lose steam, and three straight Blaze Spikers points capped by an ace from Maica Morada moved them to within a set from the championship.
Shopinas had one last gasp after shrinking Petron's lead to one, 17-16, but the latter closed the match on an 8-1 run to capture its second consecutive title.
Dindin Manabat and Aby Maraño each chipped in 18 points for the Blaze Spikers.
Rachel Anne Daquis, who was later crowned the tournament MVP, added 16 before going down in cramps. Daquis played five sets for Army in a Shakey's V-League match earlier Thursday.
Cruz, ajudged the Best Open Hitter later in the night, led Shopinas with 13 points.
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