The Petron Blaze Spikers may have just two months to seek redemption for the 2018 PSL Grand Prix but the bitter taste of their Game Three loss to F2 Logistics will be tough to remove.
Coming into the conference, the Blaze Spikers were deemed as the favorites to win it all especially after keeping their core that won the All Filipino Conference while adding world-class talents Lindsay Stalzer, Hillary Hurley, and Yuri Fukuda. Moreover, they had a 1-0 advantage entering Game Two.
But a line-up switch by Cargo Movers head coach Ramil de Jesus resulted to the Blaze Spikers losing four straight sets that bridged Games Two and Three that led to their downfall.
“I think yung service nila. Sobrang ganda ng service nila,” said first-year Petron head coach Shaq delos Santos as F2 Logistics tallied 10 aces in Game Three.
“Naging consistent sila especially yung mga target din nila na ginawa so yun ang naging problem din namin eh.”
Petron eventually fell to F2 Logistics in the Chooks-to-Go/PSL Grand Prix title-clincher in four sets, 25-20, 25-19, 20-25, 25-18.
With the league changing its calendar for the 2018 season, Delos Santos is set to lose collegiate stalwarts Bernadeth Pons and Cherry Rondina for the Grand Prix. The veteran tactician though has yet to think about it as he has yet to lick his wounds after the heartbreaking defeat they experienced,
“Pagmi-meetingan muna namin ang lahat ng dapat naming gawin. Sa ngayon siguro time to magpahinga, mag-rest kasi medyo nakakapagod din ang mga nangyari,” he shared.
“Kailangan magpahinga muna kami para maka-recover.”
