PLDT improves to 2-2 in the Invitational Conference’s penultimate stage, while the Vietnamese side remains winless.
Fiola Ceballos has been showing out for the PLDT High Speed Hitters in the PVL Invitational Conference round-robin semifinals.
With Jovy Prado down with an ACL injury, Ceballos contributed 8 and 9 points in their first two games in the semifinals against the Cignal HD Spikers and the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers, respectively.
But her presence was felt more in PLDT’s 25-23, 25-14, 25-23 win over Kinh Bac-Bac Ninh at the PhilSports Arena as the High Speed Hitters improved to 2-2.
After the Vietnam squad flaunted its floor and net defense in the opening frame, things went smoothly for the High Speed Hitters behind Ceballos, who dropped 7 of her 11 points in the second frame.
She said it all starts in training.
“Siguro nag-start sa training kasi every day, every other day ‘yung game so training talaga nang tuloy tuloy,” said Ceballos, whose team made quick work of the Cargo Movers in their previous game.
The visiting team, though, refused to just roll over and die and staged an uprising in the third set with Nguyen Huong at the forefront.
After being down 18-12, the youthful squad made things interesting and got to as close as 24-23. But Rachel Austero wrapped things up
Ceballos heaped praise on their second and third stringers, who got plenty of playing time in Monday’s contest.
“Siguro kasi may trust din kami sa second stringers namin, na kaya nila sa loob ng court,” she said.
PLDT will duke it out with the other visiting team in Kurashiki Ablaze on July 27.
(GM)