LIFESAVERS UP EVEN MINUS STAR IMPORT
Generika-Ayala competed with limited personnel, but it hardly mattered as it still triumphed over Iriga City in straight sets, 25-16, 25-15, 25-21, in the Chooks To Go-Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix on Thursday at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
Import Darlene Ramdin spent most of the time on the bench as the Lifesavers coasted to their second victory.
A national team member of Trinidad and Tobago, Ramdin still suited up for the game despite a bum stomach. But Generika-Ayala coach Francis Vicente opted to just give her limited minutes of action.
“She’s dehydrated,” said Vicente, who fielded Ramdin for a brief period in the second set. “But she’s now OK. We just don’t want to force her so she’ll be up and ready in our next game against F2 Logistics next week.”
With Ramdin at sickbay, Croatian Katerina Pilepic took up the cudgels by hounding and pounding the Lady Oragons’ defense from start to finish.
Pilepic, the former Arizona star, finished with 15 kills, three aces and two blocks for 20 points while Angeli Araneta chipped in 13 markers for the Lifesavers, who took the floor with a fighting mind-set despite the absence of their top spiker. “It’s all about having the proper mind-set,” said Vicente. “They were very motivated, relaxed and happy. They gained confidence and enjoyed the game.” Serbian import Tamara Kmezic was Iriga’s lone bright spot on offense with 15 points as Japanese spiker Saama Miyagawa had a quiet seven markers for the Lady Oragons, who are trying to move on from suspended star spiker Grethcel Soltones. The Lifesavers were brilliant at the attack zone with 43 kills compared to the Lady Oragons’ 28. They also ruled the block, 6-1, and service departments, 7-4, to underscore their dominance and step back on the winning track after absorbing back-toback losses.