Cignal is confident it’s heading in the right direction with ace playmaker Gel Cayuna manning the wheel.
The veteran setter stepped up when the Super Spikers needed her the most, anchoring the squad’s return to the semifinals in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference.
Cayuna stayed true to her promise of delivering more than 30 excellent sets and double-digit scoring, accomplishing the feat against no less than powerhouse Creamline and its celebrated setter Jia Morado-De Guzman in a thrilling five-set marathon win in the qualifying round.
Behind Cayuna’s masterclass, the Super Spikers pulled off an epic triumph over the fancied Cool Smashers, 25-21, 24-26, 18-25, 25-22, 17-15, last Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Her eye-popping production of 34 excellent sets and 11 points not only steered Cignal to the round robin semis but also earned her the nod as the PVL Press Corps Player of the Week presented by Pilipinas Live honor for the period of March 24 to 28.
"Sa ensayo kasi tinanong kami ni coach kung ano 'yung goal namin na points and excellent sets, so sabi ko kasi 30 plus—'yung sinabi ko [sa sets] and double digits sa score. So talagang nagawa ko,” said the 27-year-old four-time PVL Best Setter.
The Far Eastern University product bested her teammates Santos and Gandler, PLDT's Savi Davison, MJ Phillips of Nxled, Akari's Ivy Lacsina, Galeries Tower's Jean Asis, and Sisi Rondina of Choco Mucho for the weekly plum awarded by print and online reporters covering the league organized by Sports Vision.
Cignal coach Shaq Delos Santos revealed after the hard-fought win that Cayuna and his players had set a standard for themselves as motivation to beat the 10-time champion Creamline and return to the semis after a two-conference absence.
“Nag-commit naman sila kasi sabi ko kailangan 'yung intention natin. Ano ba 'yung gusto nating gawin para manalo, which is 'yung mga binitawan nila sa amin doon sa huddle namin,” Delos Santos said.
“Sobrang happy. And again, nakaka-proud kasi nagawa talaga nila 'yung gusto nilang gawin for this game."
Scoring payback to the same team that beat them in a five-setter at the close of the preliminary round also fueled the Super Spikers’ charge.
"I think may factor siya [mga hirap na pinagdaanan ng team] plus siguro 'yung core rin nung team, kung paano sila nag-grow and nag-improve, kung paano nila ginugusto 'yung ginagawa nila, plus 'yung binibigay namin na mga skills, and mga situational, kung ano kailangang maramdaman, kung ano 'yung kailangang gawin." Delos Santos said.
“Nakaka-proud kasi na-handle namin ’to hanggang semifinals. I am sure, pagdating ng semifinals, pagbubutihin namin and mas gagalingan pa namin.”
The battle-tested Cignal will have a couple of weeks to prepare before plunging into the Final Four starting April 11 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Catch the electrifying matches of the country's first and only women’s professional volleyball league live and on demand via the Pilipinas Live app and on www.pvl.ph.
