C Movers sink Iriga, gain semis

MANILA, Philippines — Top-seeded F2 Logistics handily disposed of eighth-ranked Iriga City, 25-19, 25-12, 25-17, to book the first semifinal seat in the Chooks-to-Go Philippine Superliga Grand Prix at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

Kim Dy keyed the Cargo Movers’ first set breakaway then Venezuelan Maria Jose Perez took over in their early dominance in the second before the squad fended off the Oragons’ Tamara Kmezic in the early going in the third to shut out Iriga City in the sudden death quarterfinals.

F2 Logistics defeated the Oragons for the second time in-a-row after their straight-set mangling of Iriga City in the final elims playdate last Saturday.

“We faced them only last Saturday so we just repeated what we did in that match. We built a little confidence heading to the semifinals,” said Cargo Movers coach Ramil de Jesus.

F2 Logistics will face the winner of the Thursday winner-take-all quarters tussle between No. 4 Cignal HD and No. 5 Cocolife in the knockout semis on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The second semifinal seat is being disputed by No. 2 Petron and No. 7 Generika-Ayala as of presstime.

The Cargo Movers stretched a slim two-point lead to 19-12 on a 7-2 windup built on Dy’s three points then held sway to take the opener.

Perez then swung three hits to give F2 Logistics an early 6-2 cushion in the second set which it stretched to 23-10 as the Oragons fell to eight miscues.

The Cargo Movers then leaned on a decisive 5-0 burst to neutralize Serbian Kmezic, who rallied Iriga City on three hits to hang close at 6-8, and build a 13-6 lead.

F2 Logistics then extended that edge to nine, 23-14, as Iriga City succumbed to miscues anew for a total of 27 errors in the match.

The Cargo Movers limited their mistakes to 11, while landing more attacks, 39-32, and swatting more attempts, 5-1.

Perez and American Kennedy Bryan combined for 26 points, Dy came up with nine, Majoy Baron collected six built on two blocks, while Aby Maraño chipped in four for F2 Logistics.

Kmezic made a game-high 15 points, Japanese Saam Miyagawa churned out 10 while Janeca Lana had five for Iriga City which closed out its maiden campaign with a loss following their 2-6 slate in the elims.