Bacoor clinches twice-to-beat in semifinals
Bacoor Lady Stirkers’ Cyrille Almeniana during a MPVA game. –HANDOUT PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Bacoor captured the last twice-to-beat berth in the 2024 Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association semifinals after outlasting San Juan, 25-8, 23-25, 25-21, 25-19, on Monday night at Bacoor Strike Gym in Cavite.
The Strikers sealed the second seed with a 12-4 record to steal the last semifinal bonus from third-running Biñan Tatak Gel (11-5) after double-round elimination in the league founded by former senator and also MPBL chairman Manny Pacquiao and organized by the Volleyball Masters of the Philippines.
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Cyrille Joie Alemeniana poured in an explosive outing of 26 points in front of their home crowd to earn their fourth straight win ahead of the semis.
READ: MPVA: Bacoor closes in on twice-to-beat with rout of Marikina
Alemeniana drilled 24 kills and two aces. She was backstopped by Jemalyn Menor, who unleashed 17 points.
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Bacoor needed to overcome a narrow second-set loss with Camille Bustamante and Winnie Bedana also contributing with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The Strikers, winner of the inaugural but shorter edition, will face No. 3 seed Biñan in the semis.
READ: MPVA: Bacoor claims last semis slot, sweeps Valenzuela
No.1 seed and twice-to-beat Quezon (14-2), meanwhile, takes on the fourth-running Rizal St. Gerrard Charity Foundation (10-5) in the other semis pairing.
San Juan dropped to a 6-10 card in sixth place.
Meanwhile, also-ran teams ICC Negros and AM Caloocan scored graceful exits after wins over semifinalists Quezon and Rizal, respectively.
Andrea Caparal fired 17 points in Negros’ 25-22, 25-22, 25-12 stunning win over Quezon to finish in seventh place with an improved 5-11 record.
Iari Yongco-Quimson erupted for 27 points as Caloocan drubbed Rizal, 25-22, 25-21, 22-25, 28-26.
Caloocan sealed the fifth place with an 8-7 record with still a game left against the winless Marikina.
