After a grueling third set that prevented a Cignal sweep, Farm Fresh appeared drained in the fourth, allowing the HD Spikers to dominate and secure the win in two hours and nine minutes.
“Wala silang ginagawang spectacular, pero wala din tayong ginagawa,” said Farm Fresh assistant coach Ron Medalla, reflecting on the team’s inability to respond as the HD Spikers surged ahead 19-9 in the final set.
The Foxies’ strategy seemed to backfire as they failed to rise to the challenge, leading to a decisive fourth-set loss that turned a previously tight contest into a runaway victory for Cignal, which improved to 5-1 and joined unbeaten Akari (6-0) in the knockout quarters due to their superior records.
Cignal narrowly secured the win in the opening set and had to dig deep to take the second. Farm Fresh retaliated in the third, forcing a fourth set.
However, Cignal, led by the powerful MJ Perez, took command in the final set with a commanding 16-8 lead, which they never relinquished.
“Sobrang halaga ng panalong ‘to, kasi galing kami sa talo,” said Cignal playmaker Gel Cayuna, referring to their four-set setback to the Chargers last Tuesday. She took charge from the second set onwards.
“Siempre kailangan ang communication para mapabuti ang lagay ng team, kasi muntik na kaming madale sa first set, so nag-step up ako,” said Cayuna who recorded 19 excellent sets to earn the game’s top honors.
The strategy paid off as Cignal emerged victorious in a closely contested second set. Despite faltering late in the third, they bounced back with a dominant fourth-set performance, leaving Farm Fresh with their fourth defeat against two wins.
Perez led the charge for Cignal with 25 points, including several key hits from combination plays. Ces Molina added 14 points, Roselyn Doria contributed 13, and Chin Basas chipped in 11, showcasing the team’s balanced offensive attack.
Cayuna added eight points, while Jacqueline Acuña finished with six markers.
Although Cignal lost the spiking battle 62-64, the HD Spikers compensated with more blocks (9-6) and aces (8-1). Perez also contributed defensively with 20 excellent digs, while Molina had nine and Basas delivered 13.
