Life Savers overpower Cignal side in three sets

Games tomorrow

2 p.m. – Cignal vs Petron (W)

4 p.m. – Generika vs Foton (W)

6 p.m. – Cignal vs PLDT (M)

MANILA, Philippines - Generika surprised fancied Cignal with a superb game on both ends and pulled off a shock 25-23, 25-18, 25-20 victory yesterday in the 2014 Philippine Superliga Grand Prix presented by Asics at the Cuneta Astrodome yesterday.

With imports Miyu Shinohara and Natalia Korobkova finally playing in rhythm, the Life Savers sustained their hot start to post the straight-set victory, their second against three setbacks in women’s play of the inter-club tournament organized by Sports Core.

More importantly, the win boosted the Life Savers’ morale heading to the crucial stage of this tourney backed by Air 21, My Phone, Via Mare, Mikasa, Mueller Sports Medicine, Healthway Medical, Generika Drugstore, LGR and Jinling Sports as technical partners and Solar Sports as official broadcast partner.

The loss dropped Cignal into a tie with idle RC Cola-Air Force at second with 3-2.

“I told them that we need to win this game by hook or by crook,” said Generika coach Ramil de Jesus, whose wards were coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Mane ’N Tail side last weekend.

“We need this win very badly. Aside from putting us back in the thick of the fight, we need this win to boost our confidence going into the second round. This win reminded the girls that we are still at par against the league’s best teams like Cignal.”

Korobkova, a prized recruit from Russia, delivered 11 points and five blocks for a total of 17 points while Cha Cruz, Abby Marano and Stephanie Mercado combined for 22 markers for the Life Savers, who came up with an impressive offensive scheme to keep Cignal’s defense guessing.

In the second game, Foton clobbered Mane ‘N Tail, 25-23, 25-22, 25-13, to duplicate Generika’s reversal over heavily favored Cignal earlier.

Imports Irina and Elena Tarasova provided the offensive spark for the Tornadoes, who finally barged into the win column after five straight losses.

Shinohara, for her part, finished with four aces, all of which came in the early part of the second set where the Life Savers raced to a 14-2 advantage.

“Unlike in our previous game, Miyu played with more confidence in this game,“ de Jesus added, referring to his 19-year old playmaker from Japan. “Our biggest strength came from our locals, and Miyu made sure that all of them will get enough touches to keep the focus of the defense away from Natalia.“

With the Life Savers displaying renewed confidence, the game turned into a lopsided affair.

Although the HD Spikers clawed their way back into the third set to force a tie at 18, the Life Savers took the next four points behind their solid defense coupled with Cignal’s poor reception off the serve.

American Lindsay Stalzer scored 21 hits for a total of 24 points while her partner, Sarah Ammerman, finished with 10 points for the HD Spikers, who failed to draw support from their local crew like Aby Praca and Honey Royse Tubino.