Aby Maraño lauds quality of PH volleyball after win vs Creamline

By NIKOLE JAVIER

Aby Maraño was not only happy with F2 Logistics’ hard-earned win over All-Filipino reigning champion Creamline but was proud of the quality of volleyball their showdown turned out to be.

The Cargo Movers, captained by Maraño, were reeling over a straight-set loss prior, and there was nothing that could have soothed it more than a victory over the fancied Cool Smashers last Feb. 18.

Interestingly, F2 Logistics now holds a 2-0 head-to-head record over Creamline following their similar extended encounter in the Reinforced Conference last year.

“Sa tingin ko napaka dekalidad ng laro. As in. Tumataas iyong level ng volleyball sa Pilipinas pag ganitong iyong klase ang mga laro sa PVL,” said Maraño who also tallied 14 points in the extended affair.

The middle blocker and the rest of the team, though, refused to get the win into their heads and fall victim to complacency which is exactly what happened in their campaign last December.

The Cargo Movers went on to absorb two consecutive losses after pulling off the same impressive victory against the Cool Smashers in the season-ending conference.

For Maraño, however, lessons have been learned, and figuring out why everything went south after that was now their focus.

An intact core and a connection spanning from their collegiate years certainly help their case for a potential championship bid.

“‘Yong last game namin against Chery hindi kasi kami iyon. Hindi kami nagco-connect wala kami masyadong communication. So ginawa lang namin sa training, pinractice namin kung ano iyong dapat naming gawin dito sa match na to. So naging gano’n lang siya, iyong flow nagtuloy lang siya. Automatic,” added Marano.

“Kasi andoon talaga yong connection na matagal na meron iyong team kasi magkakasama kami since college. Nawala lang siya. Naging fire namin nag-ignite iyong motivation because of our coaches, coach Reg. SIla iyong nag-remind sa amin constantly na ito kayo nakalimutan niyo lang.”

F2 Logistics, which will be taking a one-week break from their scheduled games, will be facing Cignal on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Philsports Arena.