Chery Tiggo reminded Nxled – and the rest of the field – that the playoffs are a completely different battlefield.
With a masterclass in both offense and defense, the Crossovers dismantled the once-surging Chameleons, 25-17, 25-15, 25-20, on Saturday at the Philsports Arena to book a semifinal seat in the PVL On Tour and a coveted berth in the upcoming Invitational Conference.
Leveling up when it mattered most, the 2021 pro champions showed poise, precision and power. The Crossovers didn’t just outplay the Chameleons – they overwhelmed them, applying pressure from the get-go and never letting up, ending the match with Mary Rhose Dapol’s hit that sealed the clinical one-hour, 25-minute sweep.
Breaking away from the usual list of Best Player of the Game awardees, libero Karen Verdeflor stole the spotlight with a stellar performance, tallying 16 excellent digs with a 55 percent efficiency rate, effectively neutralizing multiple attacks from Nxled and playing a key role in the Chery Tiggo Crossovers’ dominant win.
“This win is a huge energy and confidence booster for us heading into the semifinals,” Verdeflor said calmly during a rare moment in the limelight.
There was no magic formula behind their triumph, Verdeflor, who also finished with six receptions, added – just solid execution and trust in their system.
“Sinusunod lang namin kung ano ‘yung play at game plan ng mga coaches,” she added.
Verdeflor also credited their composure as a major factor in the one-sided win.
“Kalmado lang kaming lahat,” she said.
Now comfortably settled in the Final Four, the Crossovers can afford a brief breather before facing the Cignal HD Spikers in a high-stakes knockout duel for a seat in the Finals. And while the stakes are higher, Verdeflor remains laser-focused and grounded, once again deferring to the team’s game plan.
“Depende sa mga coaches, depende sa game plan – pero ibibigay namin ang best namin. Hanggang sa Finals na ‘to,” she said with conviction.
With veterans seamlessly blending with the rookies, the Crossovers dominated the Chameleons in all departments, overpowering them in attacks, 50-33, edging them in blocks, 6-4, and capitalizing on 15 free points off their opponents' errors. Chery Tiggo, on the other hand, limited its own miscues to just 11 unforced errors.
Cess Robles once again led the Crossovers' charge, finishing with 12 points. She received solid support from Ara Galang and rising star Renee Peñafiel, who both tallied 11 points apiece. Middle blocker Imee Hernandez also made her presence felt with 10 points, anchoring the team’s net defense.
Meanwhile, Jasmine Nabor, Aby Maraño, Jyne Soreño and Erika Deloria contributed a combined 14 markers, rounding out a well-balanced offensive performance.
EJ Laure top-scored for Nxled with 13 points, while Jovelyn Fernandez added 10. However, the rest of their wing spikers, including standout rookie Lyann De Guzman, struggled to find their rhythm against Chery Tiggo’s suffocating frontline and resilient floor defense.
De Guzman, who had been a key figure in the Chameleons’ strong preliminary round run, managed just six points after entering midway through the second set and in the third frame.
The Crossovers, who blew the chance to advance to the semis outright after blowing a 2-1 set lead and yielding to the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles, built on their knockout win against Galeries Tower by turning their quarterfinal clash into a showcase of what playoff-ready volleyball looks like: fluid offense, disciplined execution and a defense that left Nxled searching for answers.
They raced to a 25-17 Set 1 win on the strength of a 15-9 edge in attacks, but it was the 4-0 kill block tally that underscored the Crossovers’ suffocating net presence.
Nxled, a revelation during the prelims of the pre-season tournament organized by Sports Vision with a second-place pool finish, looked nothing like the gritty squad it had been – largely because Chery Tiggo never gave them the chance.
Set 2 was more of the same – only louder and longer. Galang, Hernandez and Peñafiel opened with a bang, while the rally of the tournament – an epic back-and-forth punctuated by soft tosses and scrambling digs – ended with a booming left-handed blast from Nabor, who surprised the Nxled defense all match long.
By the time Chery Tiggo extended its lead to 19-10 in that second frame, the result felt inevitable. The Crossovers closed it with a 6-5 mini-run capped again by Hernandez in the middle, showcasing not just strength but strategy.
In the third, Nxled showed brief signs of resistance, pulling to within 4-7. But Chery Tiggo slammed the door shut. Peñafiel scored a gutsy through-the-block hit and followed it up with an ace, as the Crossovers cruised to a 13-5 advantage and never looked back.
Despite a series of timeouts and motivational pleas from coach Ettore Guidetti, the Chameleons simply couldn’t shake off the pressure Chery Tiggo was applying from all angles.
Chery Tiggo even capitalized on Nxled’s errors, giving away just two free points while scoring seven off their opponent’s miscues.
The Crossovers now face Cignal in the semifinals, with momentum on their side and a fast-developing lineup peaking at just the right time.
