Gresik Phonska Shows Its Class and Defeats Jakarta Pertamina Enduro, En Route to Proliga Final Four
KOMPAS.com - Concluding the regular season with a convincing victory, Gresik Phonska Plus Pupuk Indonesia secured not only three points but also sent a strong warning that the battle for the Proliga 2026 title is far from over.
Gresik Phonska Plus Pupuk Indonesia defeated the defending champions, Jakarta Pertamina Enduro, with a convincing score of 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-17) at GOR Candradimuka Padepokan Voli Jenderal Polisi Kunarto, Sentul, Bogor, Thursday (26/2/2026) evening.
Gresik Phonska Plus immediately took control of the game. Their quick and aggressive attacks made it difficult for their opponents to develop their strategy.
Two of their foreign players, Annie Mitchem and Oleksandra Bytsenko, became the driving force behind their consistent attacks, putting pressure on Jakarta Pertamina Enduro’s defense.
Meanwhile, the opposing team, strengthened by Megawati Hangestri, often lost their rhythm due to their own mistakes.
As a result, the momentum shifted to Gresik Phonska Plus, and the match ended in three sets.
Proof of Readiness for the Final Four
Coach Alessandro Lodi affirmed that this match proved his team’s readiness, even though both teams had already secured their tickets to the Final Four.
“We showed in this match that we are determined to win the championship and that this is our true level of play,” said the Italian coach.
“Of course, we hope this trend will continue until the Final Four and Grand Final. We don’t want to stop here, but we want to continue until we win the championship,” he added.
Team captain, Medi Yoku, said that the victory was achieved thanks to the solid teamwork of all the players. He believes that the disciplined defensive strategy before launching attacks was a key factor.
“I would like to thank all my teammates on the field today. As instructed by the coach, we tried to play better defensively and then focused on attacking,” he said.
Evaluation for the Defending Champion
For Jakarta Pertamina Enduro, this defeat will serve as a learning experience before the crucial matches. Therefore, coach Bulent Karslioglu affirmed that the team must immediately bounce back.
“We have to forget this defeat and, of course, we will do an evaluation after this. The players’ mindset must be changed, and they must have a more fighting spirit to face the Final Four,” said the Russian coach.
Now, Gresik Phonska Plus’ victory ensures that they finish the regular season at the top of the standings with 29 points from 10 wins. This score is no longer reachable for Jakarta Pertamina Enduro, who finished second with 24 points.
Meanwhile, the competition for the remaining two tickets to the Final Four is still ongoing. Jakarta Popsivo Polwan is scheduled to face Medan Falcons on Friday (27/2/2026) evening at 8:30 PM WIB.
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