Defending champion Pertamina Enduro (JPE) opened up the opportunity to defend its title after defeating Gresik Phonska Plus Pupuk Indonesia with a score of 3-1 (19-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-21) in the first leg of the 2026 Proliga Grand Final at the Amongrogo Sports Hall on Friday.
This victory puts JPE ahead 1-0 on aggregate and provides important capital ahead of the next decisive match.
"Even though the weather was quite hot, we were able to create good conditions to achieve victory," said JPE coach Bullent Karsioglu in an official statement after the match.
In the first set, JPE, which was strengthened by key players such as Megawati Hangestri, Irina Voronkova, and Wilma Salas, actually appeared less stable.
Phonska Plus capitalized on the situation, playing aggressively through Medi Yoku's attacks and Arnetta Putri's distribution. The Gresik-based team also relied on the sharpness of Annie Mitchem and Oleksandra Bytsenko to close out the opening set with a 25-19 victory.
"We were a little nervous after losing the first set. But we tried to play more patiently," said JPE captain Tisya Amallya.
