Philippine volleyball’s fiercest rivalry—F2 Logistics and Petron—collide anew in the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference today at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
Battle erupts at 4:15 p.m. with the Cargo Movers enjoying a slight advantage over the team that has lording it over in this conference for the past couple of years.
Meanwhile, Generika-Ayala shoots for the solo third spot when it tangles with PLDT Home Fibr in the 7 p.m. featured encounter of this prestigious women’s club tournament bankrolled by Team Rebel Sports, SOGO, Eurotel, PCSO, Cocolife, UCPB Gen, Mueller, Senoh, Asics, Bizooku and One Sport.
Since acquiring Filipino-American Kalei Mau, the Cargo Movers have been invincible as they won 11 straight games to occupy a lofty spot on top of the team standings entering the crucial stretch of the preliminaries of this tourney that also has ESPN5 and Kapatid TV5 as broadcast partners.
The Blaze Spikers, for their part, won 10 of their first 11 matches with their lone loss coming from the hands of the Cargo Movers, making this game a dramatic and action-packed encounter between two teams who have clashing for the All-Filipino crown for the past three seasons.
But Petron coach Shaq Delos Santos toned down the hype.
“We’re excited to play against them and it’s going to be an exciting match for sure,” said Delos Santos, whose wards dethroned the Cargo Movers in 2017.
“But like any other game, everything starts in practice. We need to have good preparation to have a better performance.”
F2 Logistics head coach Ramil de Jesus agreed, saying that their game doesn’t mean a thing because their ultimate goal is to regain the title.
“If they will come at the game prepared, so are we,” said de Jesus, a proud owner of 11 UAAP titles.
“But it won’t end after Thursday’s game. We still have a long way to go. The result of our game against Petron won’t determine the champion of the All-Filipino Conference.”
Contrary to their loss in the first round, Petron will parade an intact roster with Mika Reyes, Frances Molina, Denden Lazaro, Sisi Rondina and Rhea Dimaculangan all in fighting form.
On the other hand, power-hitting Mau and Ara Galang would be at the helm of the attack while Majoy Baron, Aby Marano and Dawn Macandili take care of the defense for the Cargo Movers, who are looking to move two wins away from sweeping the preliminaries.