F2 Logistics head coach Regine Diego solely took the blame after the Cargo Movers squandered an early 4-0 lead in the fifth set, losing to Petro Gazz, 25-20, 22-25, 12-25, 35-33, 9-15 on Thursday in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference.
The final frame was lengthy and confusing, lasting for 41 minutes, with officials meeting and challenges prolonging the match.
With F2 Logistics ahead 9-8, the Angels strung together five straight points to take a four-point advantage, 13-9.
In the ensuing play, Grethcel Soltones was called for a net touch, but Petro Gazz challenged the call. After a long discussion, the challenge was deemed inconclusive, resulting in a replay.
On the next possession, the Angels challenged again, this time for a foot fault on Ivy Lacsina as she attacked from the front while being a backrow player.
However, the challenge was called late as Mars Alba had already scored off a block. But the officials overruled it and gave Petro Gazz the match point after deciding that Lacsina had indeed attacked illegally.
“All in all, I’m going to blame that game on me. It’s me. There are so many things na dapat inadjust ko pero hindi ko nagawa,” said Diego on her team’s meltdown.
“It’s just me. I mean the players are doing the best they can, siguro mentally hindi pa sila ganon karecovered but mostly, it’s me. Don’t bash the players, it’s me guys.
“May learning curve pa ako, I’m new to this. Bigyan din natin ng chance yung mga bata makapag-recover kasi that game before was super duper exhausting for all of us even for Choco Mucho di ba?” she added, citing their marathon five-set win just last Tuesday against Choco Mucho.
Meanwhile, team captain Aby Maraño expressed her frustrations about the officials’ calls on Twitter.
The fiery middle blocker shared that she and the two referees had agreed that the Lacsina challenge would just be replayed.
“Hindi ko gets bakit may rules pa for challenge tapos hindi naman pala gagamitin. Papalitan kung kelan lang gusto. Biglang ioover rule. Tapos malinaw usapan namin ng two refs walang gagalawin sa score, good ball lang daw tapos anyare? Para tayong nasa inter-barangay kung ganito,” tweeted Maraño.
After two marathon five-setters, Diego said that if there’s one thing they learned, it’s to become less emotional.
Up next for F2 Logistics is Foton on Tuesday to cap the pool play.
“We can’t be too emotional and I have to make them put in mindset agad agad, kailangan ko agad sila iproseso after nung game last time, siguro hindi sila nakapagreset, they were stuck on that pagod and that exhaustion,” said Diego.
“I told them naman na it’s not every day na panalo, may mga bagay talagang magpapahumble sa atin, may mga bagay talagang kailangan pa natin pag-aralan and meron pa talaga tayong lapses na kailangan natin baguhin, meron taying mental problem pagdating sa mga games usually nanggigigil sila.”
