February 19 ------ Cignal secured the third seed in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference qualifying round with a dominant 25-17, 25-15, 25-21 victory over Akari, wrapping up its preliminary campaign on Tuesday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
The HD Spikers overcame the mid-season departures of key players Ces Molina and Riri Meneses, fighting their way to an 8-3 record behind a three-game winning streak. Regardless of the remaining results from PLDT and Choco Mucho, both at 7-3, Cignal will retain the third spot due to its superior match points.
“Sobrang happy kasi ito rin yung target namin na hopefully makuha talaga namin yung number 3 sa standings,” said Cignal head coach Shaq Delos Santos. “Ang nakikita kong advantage is yung commitment ng players. Sobrang kumbaga kahit 12 lang kami, nama-maximize namin yung skills ng bawat isa,” he added.
Unlike the first two sets, where the HD Spikers dominated, Akari kept it close in the third. With Cignal leading 22-15, Cams Victoria spearheaded a late Chargers run, scoring four straight points to cut the deficit to 19-22. However, Vanie Gandler, Jovelyn Fernandez, and Jackie Acuña stepped up to seal the win in one hour and 34 minutes.
Gandler led the HD Spikers with 15 points on 14 attacks, while Rose Doria-Aquino added 12 points, tallying nine spikes and three blocks. Four-time PVL Best Setter Gel Cayuna orchestrated Cignal’s offense, dishing out 19 excellent sets while contributing five points. Her playmaking fueled a decisive 47-30 edge in attacks.
Cignal will face the 10th-ranked team in the qualifying round, which will be either Galeries Tower, Nxled, or Capital1. Faith Nisperos was the lone bright spot for the Chargers, finishing with 12 points, eight digs, and six receptions. Ivy Lacsina, the league’s fifth-best scorer entering the match, was limited to just five points.
Source: tiebreakertimes.com
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