Games Today
(Baliuag Star Arena)
4 p.m. – Petron vs Smart
6 p.m. – F2 Logistics vs Generika-Ayala
BALIUAG, Bulacan—The league’s hottest teams—Petron and F2 Logistics—kick off the second round when they clash with separate foes Saturday in the Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga Grand Prix at the Baliuag Star Arena.
The Blaze Spikers tip things off when they battle struggling Smart in the opening salvo in Pool A at 4 p.m., while the Cargo Movers face Generika-Ayala in the 6 p.m. battle in Pool B of this prestigious women’s club tourney bankrolled by Isuzu and UCPB Gen with ESPN5 as official broadcast partner.
Earlier, Baliuag City Mayor Ferdinand Estrella will grace a volleyball clinic together with the Blaze Spikers and Giga Hitters at Marian College Baliuag.
After coming up with a seven-game sweep of the first round, Petron emerged on the top spot to join Cocolife, Sta. Lucia and Smart in Pool A, while F2 Logistics finished with a 6-1 win-loss mark to grab a spot in Pool B together with Foton, Cignal and Generika-Ayala.
Teams in both pools will play another round to determine their quarterfinal placings. The survivors in the quarters will then advance to the best-of-three semifinals for a chance to see action in another best-of-three finals affair.
The Cargo Movers—the reigning champions of this tourney that also has Senoh, Mikasa, Asics, LGR and Grand Sport as technical sponsors—are heavily-favored to dominate the second round, especially with their new players starting to jell with the holdovers.
In their previous match against Generika-Ayala, new recruits Lourdes Clemente, Minami Yoshioka and the returning Ara Galang displayed a gallant effort, towing the Cargo Movers to an easy 25-18, 25-16, 25-12 victory.
“Now that the first round is over, we expect our new players to blend well with the holdovers,” said F2 Logistics coach Arnold Laniog. “Although I can see the improvement every game, our job is not yet done. We’re expecting a tougher battle in the second round so we have to be ready.”
Laniog said their first-round assignment would be very tough now that the Lifesavers have also already developed their chemistry.
In fact, in their previous game against Cignal, import Darlene Ramdin went off for 23 kills, two blocks and an ace while Symone Hayden delivered 16 markers to lift the Lifesavers to a thrilling 26-24, 18-25, 16-25, 25-22, 15-11 victory.
Still, Generika-Ayala head coach Sherwin Meneses does not want to be complacent.
“We still have to work hard and improve our lapses,” said Meneses, who missed the services of middle blocker Ria Meneses. “We’re now in the second round and every game is now very crucial. We have to be at our best every set of every game.”