By Jerome Lagunzad
Games Today
(Muntinlupa Sports Center)
4 p.m. – Cignal vs Cocolife
6 p.m. – Petron vs F2 Logistics
Defending champion Cignal and perennial contender F2 Logistics gun for outright semifinal berths when they take on separate rivals today at the close of the Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga (PSL) Invitational Conference preliminary round at the Muntinlupa Sports Center.
The HD Spikers look to complete a four-game sweep of Group B as they collide with the unpredictable Cocolife Asset Managers, sporting a 1-2 mark, in the curtain raiser set at 4 p.m.
Then intensity is expected to take a notch higher in the 6 p.m. main match pitting the red-hot Cargo Movers and fellow league titan Petron in their keenly awaited rematch after an epic Grand Prix finals encounter won by the Blaze Spikers.
Momentum should be on the side of F2 Logistics, which proved too strong for University of the Philippines-United Auctioneers Inc., 25-13, 25-22, 25-16, late Thursday night for its third straight victory in Group A.
Middle blocker Majoy Baron led a balanced attack with nine points while veteran Cha Cruz-Behag and Kianna Dy contributed seven hits apiece to help the Cargo Movers prime themselves up in what promises to be a slam-bang showdown with the Blaze Spikers.
“Every time we have a great match-up like Petron, I don’t have to remind my players because they are preparing hard and eager to win this kind of games,” said F2 Logistics coach Ramil De Jesus. “Hopefully, everyone will step up and their great body condition will work again.”
Petron is expected to come out firing on all cylinders since the Blaze Spikers are determined to recover from a stunning 23-25, 25-19, 22-25, 33-31, 15-11 defeat to the Generika-Ayala Lifesavers, who already secured a quarterfinals seat with a 3-1 mark last Thursday.
