Streaking Cignal fueled its semifinal drive with a 25-15, 25-23, 18-25, 25-19 victory over a skidding Petro Gazz side, bouncing back from a third set lapse with a sweltering windup in the fourth to grab solo fourth in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Saturday.
The HD Spikers rattled off five straight points coming off a failed attempt to sweep the Angels but blew it midway through the fourth before pouncing on the latter’s erratic game to turn a 16-17 deficit into a runaway triumph behind a stifling 7-0 run, nailing their fourth straight win and fifth overall against two losses.
In stark contrast, the Angels absorbed their third straight defeat in a shocking spin of one of the most fancied teams in the fold. Petro Gazz, the first All-Filipino Conference runner-up, tumbled to seventh with a 4-3 slate.
Creamline, which wore down Petro Gazz in a grueling five-set grudge match late Thursday, continues to show the way with a 5-0 card with PLDT and Chery Tiggo tied at second with 5-1 marks heading to the crucial phase of the single round robin elims among a record 12 teams.
Gel Cayuna anchored the HD Spikers’ sterling showing with 14 excellent sets while adding nine points and 12 excellent digs to bag the top honors in the match that took near two hours to finish.
“The team’s mindset is to work hard against Petro Gazz, which is strong in almost all aspects, including in attacks and recoveries. Pinag-tyagaan talaga namin para maka-counter,” said Cayuna.
The big-hitting Gandler exploded for a career-high 23 points, including three blocks, despite missing the team’s practice last Thursday while a steady Ces Molina added 17 markers and Jovelyn Gonzaga, Roselyn Doria and Riri Meneses combined for 18 points for Cignal.
The HD Spikers actually lost the spiking battle, 50-59, but came through with 12 blocks, four times better than the Angels, who also yielded 25 unforced errors that enabled the HD Spikers, who finished with 15 miscues, to claim the first two sets.
“Sobrang thankful and blessed sa panalo na 'to,” said Cignal’s charismatic coach Shaq delos Santos. “Alam naman namin 'to, in-expect naman talaga namin bago pa ang laban na 'to, knowing Petro Gazz na puro solid na senior players, so talagang alam namin kung paano sila mag-handle ng pressure.”
“May sakit si Vanie (Gandler) nung Thursday. Hindi siya nakapag-training. Pero sabi ko nga, dahil alam namin kung gaano siya ka-sipag, kung gaano na siya nag-invest, ang inisip ko talaga is kailangan niya ng rest, full rest, and pagbalik niya kahapon okay naman,” said delos Santos.
Soltones finished with 16 points, while Palma and Jonah Sabete matched 11-point outputs and Aiza Pontillas added nine markers for the Angels, who also drew five points apiece from Nicole Tiamzon and Ranya Musa, who left the game late in the fourth after sustaining a left knee injury.
The three-game skid is the longest in recent memory for the Angels, now hard-pressed to check their skid against another soaring team in the Choco Mucho Flying Titans on Nov. 16.
