Triple towers power Foton

FOTON’S triple towers stood even taller last night.

Using its frontline advantage to the hilt, Foton destroyed whatever psychological edge defending champion Petron enjoyed before the game with a remarkable 14-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-22 victory in Game 1 of their best-of-three Philippine Superliga Grand Prix women’s volleyball title series.

The Tornadoes took sometime to gather strength but they finished with aplomb as 6-foot-1 Lindsay Stalzer, 6-4 Katie Messing and 6-4 Jaja Santiago provided the offensive sock and towed Foton to within a victory of the championship at Cuneta Astrodome.

“We are just one win away,” said Foton coach Vilet Ponce de Leon. “For sure, they will come back but we expect them to make adjustments and we are prepared.”

Petron started strong and tried to shock-and-awe its way past the Foton defense with quick, unpredictable sets from Brazilian fan-favorite Erica Adachi to seize the first set, 25-14.

But that brilliant collective effort looked to have deserted the Blaze Spikers who played from the second set on listlessly and showed huge holes on their defense.

Stalzer rose to the occasion, hammering the Petron defense at will from the open position. Opposite spiker Messing and middle hitter Manabat joined the fray as Foton grabbed the second set, 25-21.

“For a team like (Petron), we expected them to come out strong,” said De Leon.

The victory was Foton’s first over Petron in this conference and sustained its amazing run to the finals. Foton made it to the semifinals as the No. 4 squad.

Stalzer, the Bradley University stalwart from Peoria, Illinois, who has played in pro leagues around the world, led the Tornadoes with 25 points.

Messing added 17 points and Santiago had 10 for the Tornadoes, who will gun for their first league title on Monday.

Rupia Inck scored 21 points while Dindin Manabat added 16 and Frances Molina 11 for the Blaze Spikers.

“I knew we have it in us to win,” said the 31-year-old Stalzer. “We just had too many errors (in the first set). But we stepped up and fought our way back into the game.”