MANILA—The BFP Lady Firefighters opened their UVL Season 4 single round-robin semifinals campaign with a burning passion, outlasting their fierce rivals, the PNP Lady Patrollers, in a grueling five-set thriller on June 10 at the Paco Arena. 

In a classic back-and-forth battle of grit and willpower, BFP drew first blood in the semis by carving out a 26-24, 19-25, 22-25, 25-12, 15-11 victory. 

The win provided a crucial head start for the top-seeded Lady Firefighters as they look to assert their dominance in the playoffs and keep their championship aspirations blazing.

Spurring the powerhouse squad to the hard-fought victory was Gang Abellana, who brought an undeniable will to win and earned well-deserved Best Player of the Game honors. 

Abellana spearheaded BFP’s frontline offense by unleashing a spectacular 26-point performance, anchored on 25 explosive attacks and a crucial block. 

Her steady leadership and clutch plays down the stretch proved to be the ultimate difference-maker, enabling the Lady Firefighters to dismantle the Lady Patrollers' defense in the final two frames.

For Abellana and the rest of the BFP squad, the high-stakes matchup carried a heavy sense of deja vu, evoking memories of their heartbreaking loss to the same PNP squad in the UVL Season 3 finals. 

Shaking off the ghosts of the past, Abellana highlighted the mental fortitude it took to reverse the outcome this time around. 

“Nag-recover lang, nag-reset, tsaka nag-compose ng sarili paano namin matatawid yung game na di kami natatakot at kaya namin lumaban,” she shared, reflecting the team’s renewed composure and relentless drive to rewrite their destiny this season.

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