PLDT guns for third PVL crown against Thunderbelles in semis

Games on Thursday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
4 p.m. – Akari vs Petro Gazz
6:30 p.m. – ZUS vs PLDT

A DYNASTY for PLDT, a title-reclamation for Petro Gazz, a validation for Akari and a place in the sun for ZUS Coffee will be the focal points of the four semifinalists as they battle on Thursday in a pair of grudge matches in the PVL Reinforced Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The PLDT High Speed Hitters shoot for their third straight crown after reigning supreme in the PVL on Tour and Invitational Conference early this year as they battle the ZUS Thunderbelles, who are eyeing their breakthrough finals appearance and title, at 6:30 p.m.

For the Petro Gazz Angels, they’ll be shooting for a third Reinforced Conference crown and fourth overall against the Akari Chargers, who have made but lost their first finals stint in this same conference a year ago to eventual winners — the Creamline Cool Smashers — at 4 p.m.

PLDT coach Rald Ricafort said they have put all their energy for this one game before looking far.

“We’re taking it a game at a time and we know it’s going to be tougher from here,” said Mr. Ricafort, who hurdled their sibling rivals, the Cignal Super Spikers, 25-21, 25-18, 23-25, 25-21, in the quarters on Monday also at the Big Dome.

The Manny V. Pangilinan-owned franchise will be tackling a young and hungry squad that had defied overwhelming odds in making it this far, which will be the latter’s best finish since joining the league last year.

For the Angels, they’ll be riding the crest of their mammoth 25-23, 25-19, 16-25, 25-14 win over the Cool Smashers, the league’s most titled team whose 19-conference medal streak ended.

And Myla Pablo hoped she could sustain her 26-point effort in that huge quarterfinal triumph.

“We will be relying on teamwork again,” she said. — Joey Villar