More than the team effort, F2 Logistics coach Ramil De Jesus thanked Fil-American spiker Kalei Mau for helping bring the squad back to the top after the cargo Movers won the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference Tuesday night.
The title win was doubly sweet for F2 as it swept its best-of-three series with the tired but equally gutsy HD Spikers.
Thanks to the bullet-like spikes of Mau, the Cargo Movers reclaimed the crown they first won three years back by beating the Cignal HD Spikers, 25-14, 25-16, 25-19, in Game 2 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“Yun ang pagpapasalamat ko sa kanya. Kasi sa dami ng team na nag-offer sa kanya, sa F2 siya nagpunta,” said de Jesus after their title-clinching win.
Mau was actually set to play for United Volleyball Club until it disbanded days before the start of the conference.
De Jesus took Mau’s transfer to F2 Logistics as a blessing as the 6-foot-2 standout delivered in the crunch.
In the finals, Mau averaged 23 points to claim the Most Valuable Player award. Her consistency behind the net also earned her the Best Scorer plum.
De Jesus insisted that Mau was the missing piece of the puzzle.
“Siya lang ang kulang ng team para makabalik kami sa ganitong situation,” said De Jesus.
For Mau, the individual awards were a bonus.
“I really didn’t even think about it, honestly,” said Mau. “I just wanted to focus on the task at hand. Everything that I got afterward, it just all falls into place and it makes me feel so happy.”
Credit also goes to the cohesion of the Cargo Movers, who finished second in the double-round eliminations and bested the Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors for a spot in the semifinals.
Armed with a twice-to-beat semis advantage, F2 Logistics bested Foton for a return trip to the finals.