F2 Logistics delivered the goods it had failed to dispatch in its semis face-off with Creamline although it needed to hurdle an early slip to fashion out a 20-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-17 victory and close in on the bronze medal in the Premier Volleyball League All Filipino Conference before a huge Sunday crowd at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Aby Maraño put up a rare stellar offensive play of 14 attacks but it was her solid net defense that helped anchor the Cargo Movers’ domination of the High Speed Hitters in the last three sets, coming away with five blocks for a highly productive 19-point effort as F2 Logistics moved a win away from posting its best finish in the country’s premier women’s volley league.
“Perhaps, we were just adjusting early on. But I felt the fire inside me in the second set,” said Maraño, who shone with her signature running attacks on her way to clinching the game’s top honors.
Her inspired performance also rubbed off on her teammates.
Kim Dy fired 20 points, including 15 on attacks and a couple of aces, while Ara Galang came away with 13 markers and Majoy Baron added nine points to underscore F2 Logistics’ balanced offensive sock. But the Cargo Movers took control of the High Speed Hitters by doubling up on blocking, finishing with an eye-popping 18 blocks against their rivals’ six, which matched Galang’s impressive block effort.
That set the tone for their victory that in the early stretch had looked like an enormous task for the Cargo Movers after they succumed to the High Speed Hitters’ power and smarts in the opening frame aided by their erratic stint at the service area that netted the latter five points.
“‘Di pa rin pwede mag relax, dapat mas maging aggressive pa kami,” added Maraño heading to tomorrow’s Game 2.
“I don’t mind kung ano ung points na naibigay ko sa team, ang importante sa akin yung panalo,” added the former La Salle stalwart, who along with her teammates, also drew inspiration from former mentor Ramil de Jesus.
For coach Regine Diego, she stressed the need for her wards to assert their might early, saying: “Kailangan na kunin agad. We have to play with more fire and be able to check our errors. But I think we’re on the right track.”
PLDT actually kept it close in attacks, yielding just one to F2 Logistics, 47-48, but the Cargo Movers also pounced on the High Speed Hitters shaky reception, scoring eight aces against the latter’s three.
Dawn Macandili likewise came up with 27 excellent digs and Galang added 18 of her own but PLDT also drew 20 and 15 digs from Kath Arado and Mich Morente with Kim Fajardo dishing out 21 excellent sets against counterpart Rhea Dimaculangan’s 13.
Jules Samonte and Dell Palomata matched 14-point outputs for PLDT, which also drew 13 markers from Jovie Prado and a combined 11-point output from Morente and Mika Reyes. But the High Speed Hitters missed the services of Mean Mendrez, who saw action late in the third and finished with a solitary point.
The Cargo Movers go for the clincher tomorrow.