By Jerome Lagunzad
Generika-Ayala regained its groove just in time to outlast Cignal in a thrilling finish, 26-24, 18-25, 16-25, 25-22, 15-11, last night and close out its 2018 Chooks to Go-Philippine Superliga Grand Prix first round campaign on a positive note at The Arena in San Juan City.
Trinidad and Tobago native Darlene Ramdin tallied 26 points, built around 23 attacks, two blocks and a service ace, as she took up the offensive cudgels in the fifth and decisive set as the Lifesavers regather their acts to foil the HD Spikers in nearly two hours of play.
It was just the second victory after seven starts for Generika-Ayala which will be bracketed in Pool B in the next round alongside defending champion F2 Logistics and two other teams depending on the outcome of Sta. Lucia’s match against two-time tourney titlist Foton which is being played as of press time.
Cignal finished the opening round with a 3-4 mark and could have gained an added momentum had the HD Spikers sustained their form after taking two of the first two sets, with power-hitting imports Sonja Milanovic and Stix Horton leading the way.
But the Lifesavers refused to roll down and die as they charged back hard in the fourth set then leaned on the heroics of Ramdin who shattered an 11-all count by scoring three of her team’s last four points, all of them off vicious kills.