F2 LOGISTICS disposed of Nxled, 25-20, 25-14, 25-16, to join a crowded group at fourth place in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference eliminations at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City on Tuesday.
With Ivy Lacsina on the firing end, the Cargo Movers crushed the Chameleons on attacks, 42-27, and with the former National University standout also at the defensive helm, F2 Logistics thwarted several Nxled assaults, leading to a glaring 12-1 difference in blocks.
“I’ve been working extra hard in defense. I just wanted to give what the team needs, so I always play all-out,” said Lacsina, after claiming the game’s top honors following a 19-point effort she spiked with four kill blocks.
Majoy Baron also came away with four blocks on her way to a 10-point output as she and Lacsina virtually formed a wall that the Nxled hitters found too tough to pierce, particularly in the third set, enabling the Cargo Movers to rally from three-point deficits and complete the straight-set romp in one-hour and 22 minutes.
F2 Logistics also pounced on Nxled’s shaky service reception by scoring seven aces while giving up two of their own.
But while they were able to cut their unforced errors by six after yielding 26 in their five-set shock loss to the Akari Chargers last week, the Cargo Movers could only draw 14 points from the Chameleons’ miscues.
“We still have a lot of things to work on and we cannot be complacent,” said F2 Logistics coach Regine Diego, one of the few coaches in the league blessed with a star-studded crew, including a band of rising stars. “This win is a big boost but we have to work more.”
Jolina dela Cruz fired 11 points and posted 11 excellent receptions, Aby Maraño added seven markers, mostly on her signature running attacks, while Ara Galang also finished with seven points for the Cargo Movers, who will next play the Galeries Tower Highrisers in another PVL on Tour match in Candon, Ilocos Sur this Saturday.
F2 Logistics thus tied Nxled, one of the two newcomers in the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision which debuted with a straight-set win over Gerflor last week, at fourth with Choco Mucho, PLDT, Cignal and Akari.
Petro Gazz, Chery Tiggo and defending champion Creamline paced the record 12-team cast with two wins apiece.
Lycha Ebon led Nxled with 11 points while Jho Maraguinot scored seven points and Krich Macaslang and Camille Victoria finished with five markers apiece. But the Chameleons’ offense suffered a snag in the last two sets after keeping it close in the opening frame before losing steam in the face of the Cargo Movers’ strong windup.
After a stroll in the second, F2 Logistics trailed by three three times in the early going of the third, the last at 7-10 on a Victoria ace.
But Victoria gave up the point in the ensuing play with a service miscue and the Cargo Movers took six of the next seven points, highlighted by Baron and Lacsina’s blocks.
After Ebon scored on a through-the-block hit that cut F2’s lead to 12-17, Lacsina and Baron combined for two more blocks with the former adding to two hits and the latter also scoring with a power swipe, leading to a 22-15 Cargo Movers’ lead.
Kim Fajardo then scored back-to-back aces before stalling their romp with a service error. But Judith Abil also fouled up on the service line to yield the match.