Chery Tiggo walked the tightrope early but ultimately imposed its dominance, sweeping Nxled, 25-22, 26-24, 25-19, to seize the head start in the Play-In tournament of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Thursday.
Shaya Adorador emerged as the unexpected hero, delivering 14 points, including clutch shots in the dramatic second-set escape and a blistering start in the third, propelling the Crossovers to a commanding 13-8 lead. Her early surge set the tone for Chery Tiggo’s most decisive set, where they dismantled Nxled’s resistance with a well-rounded attack on their way to a one-hour, 39-minute romp.
Risa Sato’s emphatic kill block on Krich Macaslang punctuated another Chery Tiggo scoring spree, stretching their lead to 16-10. From there, the Crossovers never looked back, deflecting every comeback attempt and capitalizing on the Chameleons’ faltering execution. An Ara Galang hit and a Macaslang attack error widened the gap to 19-10, effectively sealing Nxled’s fate as the Chameleons ran out of steam.
Chery Tiggo’s dominant third-set performance stood in contrast to the tight battles of the first two frames, where they showcased composure and resilience in crunch time – qualities lacking in their opponents.
“Ako kanina, nakita ko lang din ‘yung leadership ng mga ate, ng bawat isa, na gustong gusto talaga tapusin na ‘yung laro,” said Robles, crediting the team’s veterans for rallying the squad to the win.
“Napagkwentuhan din namin na dapat nandun ‘yung killer instict namin sa laro and ‘yun nga, ‘yung confidence namin para madala namin sa next game nakita ko rin kanina. Super proud din ako sa teammates ko dahil maganda ‘yung laro,” she added.
Meanwhile, the league, organized by Sports Vision, takes a brief but welcome weekend break. Chery Tiggo resumes its chase for a quarterfinal berth against the Farm Fresh Foxies on Tuesday. The six teams that missed direct qualification are battling for the last two quarterfinal slots in a novel round-robin format featuring two groups, with each side’s top finisher advancing to the best-of-three quarterfinals of the tournament organized by Sports Vision.
Chery Tiggo coach Norman Miguel outmaneuvered counterpart Guidetti Ettore in crucial endgame adjustments, guiding the Crossovers to victory in the first two sets through strategic plays and a combination of stellar floor and net defense.
Heavy-hitting Cess Robles and Galang powered Chery Tiggo with 15 points each, but it was Adorador who earned Best Player of the Game honors with her stellar all-around performance, highlighted by 11 excellent digs.
EJ Laure spearheaded Nxled’s offense with 15 points, determined to lift the Chameleons against her former team in the first two sets. However, she lacked sufficient offensive support, with only Chiara Permentilla contributing significantly with 12 points.
The rest of the squad struggled, as May Luna-Lumahan and Jaycel Delos Reyes managed just five points apiece, while Jaila Atienza, Lycha Ebon and Macaslang combined for only nine markers.
After battling Nxled on nearly equal footing in attacks through the first two sets, Chery Tiggo asserted full control in the third, finishing with a 47-39 advantage in spikes. The Crossovers also dominated at the net, outblocking their rivals 8-4.
Nxled found some success exploiting Chery Tiggo’s shaky service reception, scoring five aces compared to just two from the Crossovers. However, Chery Tiggo made up for it by capitalizing on Nxled’s miscues, collecting 19 free points while limiting their own errors to 10.
Chery Tiggo used its veteran poise and deep roster to snatch the first set from Nxled, with Robles spearheading a strong finishing kick to turn the tide. Despite trailing 17-20, the Crossovers unleashed an 8-2 closing run, with Robles taking charge and delivering five of the last eight points through a mix of powerful attacks and smart plays, sealing the set in style.
More than just individual brilliance, Chery Tiggo’s experience proved pivotal as they capitalized on Nxled’s late-set errors, with the Chameleons surrendering eight free points while the Crossovers kept their composure, conceding just three. Though both teams were nearly even in attacks (15-14), Chery Tiggo’s superior service reception and disciplined execution prevented Nxled from fully exploiting their opportunities.
Learning from their opening-set grind, the Crossovers tightened their grip in the second, storming to a 7-2 lead and expertly neutralizing every Nxled attempt at a comeback. With their wealth of experience and firepower, Chery Tiggo dictated the tempo, showcasing the qualities that make them a formidable force.
Chery Tiggo looked poised to dominate the second set, surging to a 10-5 advantage. However, the Chameleons fought back with tenacious defense and key hits from Laure, halting the Crossovers’ momentum. A Permentilla putaway off an overpass leveled the score at 13, setting the stage for another intense back-and-forth battle, reminiscent of the first-set thriller.
With Laure and Permentilla leading the charge, Nxled forced another deadlock at 23 and pushed the set into extension after Permentilla’s off-the-block hit followed an Galang attack against Macaslang.
But when it mattered most, Adorador stepped up from the wings, hammering a kill to break the 24-all standoff before sealing the set with another off-the-block strike against Jaja Maraguinot, giving Chery Tiggo a commanding 2-0 lead.
Despite Chery Tiggo’s early control, the set remained tightly contested, with Nxled even edging them in attacks, 18-17. The Crossovers, however, imposed their will at the net, recording four blocks, – three more than their rivals – while both teams were level at 4-4 in unforced errors.
