FOTON inched closer to the title after dismantling the defending champions Petron in four sets, 14-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-22, in Game One of 2015 Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix finals on Thursday at Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.
The Tornadoes bucked a lethargic opening set and notched the next three sets to take 1-0 lead in their best-of-three title series of the interclub tourney, presented by Asics and backed by Milo with Senoh, Mueller and Mikasa as technical partners and TV5 as official broadcaster.
Foton spoiled the gritty Blaze Spikers in the fourth set. They were close to ending the game with a 22-17 lead but Petron stormed back trimming it within one, 23-22. However, Foton import Lindsay Stalzer scored a massive kill bringing them to the match point, while Kayla Tiangco-Williams’ sealed the win with a game-winning block to Dindin Santiago-Manabat.
Stalzer flaunted an all-around game scoring 25 hits from 23 attacks including 10 excellent digs and 14 excellent receptions. Co-import Kattie Messing had 13 spikes and four blocks for 17 markers, while Jaja Santiago added 10.
“For a team like that you really expect them to run on the latter part of the game,” Foton Head Coach Villet Ponce-de Leon said. “What we really did is to really hold on to our game because if we will lose it they would really take it over so it’s a good thing we really held on to each other.”
“Well they were not moving in the first set it was like our previous games against them so everyone is really tight and they were not that aggressive in the ball. I don’t need to talk, they already knew it. They picked themselves up and that’s very good as a team,” she added.
The Tornadoes had a rousing second set building a 10-point lead, 16-6. But Petron stole the momentum trimming it down to two-point deficit, 20-22. But Foton brought the momentum back on its side to equalize the match.
The fourth-seeded Tornadoes continued to surge in the third set with a 17-12 spread but the defending champs fought their way back again tying it at 18-all, but Stalzer and Messing stepped up including the errors of Petron to take the 2-1 advantage.
Petron, on the other hand, failed to carry the momentum from its fiery start in the first set. Rupia Inck led the charge with 21 points on 19 kills. Manabat and Ces Molina chipped in 16 and 11, respectively, in a losing cause.
The defending champions will be facing a tall order in their title bid and grand-slam quest. They have to win the next two games in order to make it happen.
Foton is just a win away from its first PSL championship since joining the league last conference and de Leon wants to bring it home on Monday.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes