Ara Galang turned back the hands of time with a vintage performance to star in F2 Logistics’ 25-15, 25-22, 25-17 sweep of expansion team Galeries Tower in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference eliminations before a huge Saturday crowd at the Candon City Arena in Ilocos Sur.
The veteran winger displayed her complete game with 14 points she collected from 11 spikes, two aces and a kill block while adding 12 digs and nine excellent receptions for the Cargo Movers’ second straight win in three outings.
Save for a few shaky moments in the second frame, with Galang taking over the scoring load in the absence of Myla Pablo, who was under the weather.
“We just worked together as a team, moving cohesively. Me, personally, my mindset is to be able to contribute to the team. Not just to be physically present but to chip in point,” Galang said.
Jolina dela Cruz scored all her 11 points off kills and Majoy Baron had 10 points for F2 Logistics. Aby Maraño got eight points, Ivy Lacsina had six while Kim Fajardo dished out 10 excellent sets.
The Cargo Movers moved up to a tie with idle Choco Mucho, PLDT and Chery Tiggo.
Still, head coach Regine Diego was far from satisfied with the win although she commended her wards’ showing.
“Not perfect,” she said about the win. “But that’s how it is. Improvement is not a straight line. It’s a series of good and bad games. Eventually, we’ll get a great game.”
“Hopefully, experience-wise, this kind of game will help us improve our connection,” Diego added.
The Highrisers dropped its third game in as many games.
No Galeries Tower player scored in double figures with Norielle Ipac’s seven points proving to be the team’s best. Rap Aguilar added six points, while Carlota Hernandez, Dimdim Pacres and Fhen Emnas chipped in three points apiece.
After yielding the first set via a big margin, the Highrisers kept it close in the next although they saved two set points on back-to-back F2 Logistics miscues before Galang halted their charge with another long ball attack to Zone 5.
The Cargo Movers scored six of the first seven points in the third and stayed in firm control the rest of the way on their way to clinching the one-hour, 29-minute victory.