Petron eyes finals sweep of F2

MANILA, Philippines — Petron aims to chomp down on the jugular of rival F2 Logistics in Game 2 of the Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix best-of-three finals series Thursday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

Or the Blaze Spikers would stake their chance for a quick kill and a second title if they drop their 7 pm match with the Cargo Movers seeking to extend their lives in this season-ending conference bankrolled by Mikasa, Grand Sport, Senoh, Mueller, Island Rose, Cloudfone and UCPB Gen.

After flirting with disaster in the quarterfinals, a confident and more prepared Petron squad showed up to demolish F2 Logistics, 25-14, 25-21, 25-16, in Game 1 of this title showdown that also has Gerflor and Gold’s Gym as technical sponsors and ESPN5 as official broadcast partner.

In that match, the Cargo Movers simply had no answer to the masterful performances of American imports Lindsay Stalzer and Hillary Hurley, as well as to the powerful services and relentless attacks of the Blaze Spikers' crew.

Stalzer and Hurley finished with 20 points apiece while the Blaze Spikers dropped nine points from the service box and 42 markers from the attack zone to completely destroy the vaunted net and floor defense of the Cargo Movers.

Venezuelan Maria Jose Perez was the lone bright spot for the Cargo Movers. She finished with 15 points while the presence of American Kennedy Bryan, Kianna Dy, Majoy Baron and Aby Marano was hardly felt.

Even star libero Dawn Macandili was heavily outplayed by the Blaze Spikers as she tallied only five excellent digs.

Despite this impressive performance, Petron head coach Shaq Delos Santos still refuses to count the Cargo Movers out, saying their foes have what it takes to launch a massive comeback.

“F2 Logistics is such a tough team to deal with. I’m sure they will make a comeback,” said Delos Santos, whose wards also knocked out the Cargo Movers in the finals of the All-Filipino Conference last July.

“We have to prepare hard and double our effort. Our good performance in Game 1 will be worthless if we won’t be prepared for Game 2. We have to maintain our good form from start to finish.”

Delos Santos noted that F2 Logistics head coach Ramil de Jesus is a master tactician who is very good at making crucial adjustments.

In fact, de Jesus is no longer rattled by the pressure of the finals after rallying De La Salle University to 10 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) titles and the Cargo Movers to the All-Filipino crown last year.

“We failed our test in Game 1. Now, we have to go back to the drawing board to pass Game 2 and stay alive,” said de Jesus, adding that he just reminded the Cargo Movers to bounce back in his post-match speech.

“All I told them was that we need to bounce back and to give their 100 percent in Game 2. That’s it. We have to give our 100 percent for our next game.”