F2 Logistics thwarts Foton, nears crown

F2 LOGISTICS escaped Foton’s rampage to score a 25-20, 25-14, 9-25, 20-25, 15-10 triumph last night and move within a victory 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 collapse when the Tornadoes 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 with a deluge of unforced errors.

F2 Logistics can capture the title with another win in 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 maximized 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 stabilize 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.”