Unbeaten F2, Chery seek share of lead

Games today (PhilSports Arena) 4 p.m. – F2 vs Chery Tiggo / 6:30 p.m. – Army Black Mamba vs PLDT F2 Logistics and Chery Tiggo try to catch mighty Creamline on top as they tackle each other today in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena.

The Cargo Movers and Crossovers, both unbeaten in two starts, collide at 4 p.m. with the winner zooming back to No. 1 alongside the Cool Smashers on identical 3-0 slates.

While Creamline made it to the top with relative ease, both F2 and Chery Tiggo struggled in their first two wins and have yet to achieve their desired battle-ready form. Coaches Regine Diego of F2 and Aaron Velez of Chery Tiggo, however, are taking it one step at a time.

“I can’t always say that this is already the destination because we’re still in the journey,” said Diego. “We have to be patient in learning because we can’t be good overnight.”

“We have to take the experience and the ingredients to be consistent, like trusting one another and improving communication,” Velez, who also acts as team manager, said.

It will be interesting to see how Chery Tiggo’s Mylene Paat, the Reinforced Conference MVP, will fare against F2’s power duo of Kianna Dy and Myla Pablo in a clash of three of the league’s top scorers.

Paat went on a rampage the last time out as she unleashed a conference-high 26 points in a 25-21, 23-25, 25-16, 25-12 win over Army Black Mamba while Dy and Pablo combined for 26 hits in a 25-22, 25-23, 25-18 triumph over Akari last Saturday.

Paat said collective team effort is the key to their early success.

“Gaya nga ng lagi kong sinasabi, hindi ako makaka-puntos kung wala ang teammates ko. It was a team effort,” said Paat.

PLDT (0-1) and Army (0-1) clash in a duel of winless squads at 6:30 p.m.