Foton Tornadoes. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Cinderella is not going home at midnight.
Foton, the fourth seed in the tournament, went on a commanding sweep of defending champion Petron 25-18, 25-18, 25-17, to take its first championship in the Philippine Super Liga Saturday at Cuneta Astrodome.
READ: Stalzer never doubted Foton’s chances vs first seed Philips Gold
As unlikely as their entrance into the finals, the Tornadoes final point came not from an attacker but from diminutive setter Ivy Perez with an overset that wrapped up their Cinderella run and take the title away from the Blaze Spikers.
Foton had to take down number one seed Philips Gold before setting up the final dance against Petron.
With a 14-8 lead, the Tornadoes had a comfortable enough cushion heading into the second technical timeout of the third set but the Blaze Spikers scored four unanswered with Aby Maraño starting it off with a block on Lindsay Stalzer and Rupia Inck capping it off with a an off-the-block attack.
READ: Foton relishing Cinderella run to title in PSL
Petron would take the comeback issue even further as Dindin Santiago-Manabat blocked younger sister Jaja Santiago in the middle to cut the Foton deficit to three, 18-15.
Kathleen Messing then put up back-to-back plays, first with a magnificent crosscourt attack through two Petron defenders and a lucky service ace that rolled off the net, as Foton established a 23-17 lead.
Stalzer led the champions with 20 points, 18 coming off spikes, while Messing and Santiago added 14 and 11 points respectively.
READ: Santiago sisters face off in PSL Finals; Dindin wants one over Jaja
Santiago-Manabat was the lone Blaze Spiker to finish in double figures as she tallied 14 points.
Foton had a major advantage in the attacking department tallying 46 spikes compared to Petron’s 32.