F2 nips PLDT but Gorayeb hits ref

MANILA, Philippines — F2 survived PLDT Home Fibr’s tough stand in the first two sets then sustained its charge in the third to carve out a 26-24, 26-24, 25-17 victory and sweep their semifinal series for a rematch with fancied Petron Blaze in the Philippine Superliga Grand Prix at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan Thursday night.

But while PLDT accepted the sorry defeat, coach Roger Gorayeb vowed to ask the league to review the performance of Mario Mia, the first referee who slapped the former a yellow and a red card for misconduct in the third set.

The fiery, multi-titled mentor, however, clarified that they would not protest the outcome of the match.

“I confronted him (Mia) after the game and he told me to write a protest,” Gorayeb yesterday told The STAR. “But I told him, what for? Will he give us the victory? I just want the league to know how bad he officiated this game. We will write the league a letter and talk to them about this.”

Case in point was in the contested third set when Gorayeb felt F2’s Lindsay Stalzer used both hands to keep the ball in play.

Gorayeb protested vehemently, prompting Mia to slap him with the yellow and red cards.

Another point was in the opening set when PLDT squandered the set point at 24-23 after the refs had allegedly failed to see the ball touch the floor first before F2 libero Dawn Macandili could save it and MJ Perez committed a double contact in the subsequent play.

F2 took the point and eventually the set.

There was also a play late in the third frame when Kendra Dahlke’s challenge was challenged by Mia himself, claiming her spike was long instead of being a check ball.

“I thought only players and coaches can avail themselves of the challenge rule, I didn’t know the refs can. We were not contesting if Dahlke’s spike was long because it was clearly long. We were contesting if there was a check ball. It was clear in the video replay there (check ball),” said Gorayeb.

“The most painful one came late in the first set. The ball touched the floor first and Perez had a clear double contact but no call.

“This company has spent a lot of money just to play here and we deserve competent referees to officiate our games,” he added.

The finals is set on Tuesday, also at the San Juan venue.