F2 Logistics took no chances and moved inexorably toward the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference semifinals, smothering Foton with its vaunted power and sleek passing to fashion out an emphatic 25-18, 25-18, 25-14 victory at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Tuesday.
After going through drawn-out, energy-sapping battles that produced varying results, the Cargo Movers took care of business from the opening serve and dominated the rest of the way, never giving the Tornadoes any chances to drag them into another lengthy, unpredictable finish.
F2 Logistics thus closed out with a 4-1 (win-loss) card to clinch the first semis berth in Pool B while joining Pool A topnotcher Creamline in the next round of the mid-season conference of the league organized by Sports Vision and to be spiced up by the presence of foreign guest squads from Japan and Vietnam.
It also slammed the door shut on the Petro Gazz Angels, who were hoping for a Foton reversal for a stab at joint second at 3-2.
Petro Gazz dealt F2 Logistics a tough five-set loss last July 13 a couple of nights after the Cargo Movers repelled the Choco Mucho Flying Titans in similar fashion, giving the Angels a share of the lead with the Cargo Movers and the Cignal HD Spikers at 3-1.
But Choco Mucho foiled Petro Gazz, also in five, last Saturday, thus bolstering F2 Logistics’ semis bid with the ousted Foton side as its last elims assignment.
Choco Mucho and Cignal were disputing the second slot at presstime, along with PLDT and Chery Tiggo in Pool A play.
“This is our ticket to the semis, so we need (to score) a sweep,” said Majoy Baron, who, with Ivy Lacsina, spearheaded the star-studded F2 Logistics’ assault with 12 points, including nine on attacks.
F2 overpowered Foton in spikes, 46-30, scored six aces against the Tornadoes’ three and netted 14 points from its rival’s miscues to fashion out the one-hour, 26-minute victory.
Lacsina actually pumped in 16 points but yielded the game’s top honors to Baron, who also finished with two aces.
“Yung sense of urgency, lumabas naman,” added Baron.
Truly, the Cargo Movers carried out the mission swiftly and quickly, banging away hits on both wings and scoring heavily on quick plays while nipping the Tornadoes in blocks, 9-8.
F2 Logistics coach Regine Diego went for her tested band of aces to guarantee a strong start and gain control and Lacsina, Baron, Aby Maraño and Kim Dy delivered with the last two coming through with nine and eight points, respectively.
Kim Fajardo, back in her role as starting setter, produced all but one of the team’s total 16 excellent sets, feeding Lacsina and Baron with her brilliant plays while providing stability inside the court.
“We are grateful (for this victory) kasi nakabalik kami sa panalo. But we can’t be relaxed, we can’t be overconfindent because in the semis, it will be hard battles again,” said Diego, whose wards finished third in the last All-Filipino Conference. “Hopefully this is a good preparation (for the semis).”
Myla Pablo and rookie Jolina dela Cruz added six points each for the Cargo Movers.
Foton, which drew nine points from Jasmine Nabor a combined 13-hit output from Set Rodriguez and Shaya Adorador and scored nine points off F2’s errors, wound up with a 1-4 slate.