RC Cola Lady Army Troopers vs Petron Tri-Activ.
F2 Logistics escaped Foton’s rampage to score a 25-20, 25-14, 9-25, 20-25, 15-10 triumph Thursday night and move within a victory away of clinching the Philippine Superliga All Filipino Conference women’s volleyball at FilOil Flying V Center in San Juan.
The Cargo Movers were in complete control in the first two sets until they teetered on the brink of a collapse when the Tornadoes suddenly decided to put up a fight and took the third and fourth frames.
But F2 Logistics made key adjustments, pressed on with a 10-6 lead in the fifth and witnessed Foton crumble on its own deluge of unforced errors.
F2 Logistics can capture the title with another win Game 2 tomorrow.
“We tend to lose focus especially in the third when we started with errors,” said F2 Logistics coach Ramil de Jesus. “At least in the fifth set we showed our maturity.”
He said the Cargo Movers moved the ball well in the first two sets which allowed them to take a two sets to none lead.
“We maximised our opposite and open hitters,” he said. “But we forgot about the middle.”
That was where the Cargo Movers made the adjustments, bringing out the best in the Mika Reyes-Aby Marano rotation in the fifth frame to stabilise their offense.
Earlier, RC Cola-Army needed five sets to turn back Petron, 25-18, 25-23, 21-25, 19-25, 15-11, and snatch third place.
It was a bitter-sweet victory for the Lady Troopers who are facing disbandment after winning three conference titles in the league since they began competing three years ago.
“We are very thankful for all the supporters, our fans and our bosses in the Philippine Army,” said RC Cola-Army coach Emilio “Kungfu” Reyes. “I just told the players to end this well, and they responded.”
The Lady Troopers lost key player Rachel Anne Daquis due to bone spurs two weeks ago and have lost four straight prior to last night’s match.
“This conference we lost to injury,” added Reyes. “But we have to play and give it our best and finish the conference on a winning note.”
Reyes fielded questions regarding the fate of his team whose core is reportedly being merged with that of Philippine Air Force to form the RC Cola franchise.
“Until now nothing is final,” he said. “We are just thankful that nobody got hurt and we got third place trophy.”
Jovy Gonzaga finished 22 points including the winning point, while Honey Royse Tubino added 15 markers and Nene Bautista and Jessey de Leon chipped in 10 points each.
Bernadeth Pons topscored with 17 markers for Petron which put up a fight despite a lethargic start. Aiza Maizo-Pontillas added 12, while Ces Molina contributed 11 for the Tri-Activ Spikers.
Gonzaga, who is set to enter an eight-month Candidate Soldier Course starting in November, also accounted for five blocks and 14 excellent digs for RC Cola-Army.
She carried the Lady Troopers on her shoulders in the absence of Daquis who is norming 15 points for game.