Cignal checked its two-game slide while snapping Akari’s own two-game roll as the HD Spikers fashioned out a 25-18, 19-25, 25-21, 25-20 victory on Tuesday night to get back into the swing of things in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference elims at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
Though Cignal hardly moved to eighth in a field of 12 with a 2-2 card, the hard-earned victory carved out in back-and-forth fashion marked by a number of long exchanges provided the HD Spikers with the much-needed momentum and confidence as they looked ahead to their matches against the Farm Fresh Foxies on Saturday and the Galeries Tower Highrisers on Nov. 7.
The HD Spikers never wavered in a fiercely-fought battle in the pivotal frame, rattling off five straight points on superb passing and hitting to turn a 17-19 deficit into a three-point lead. With help from Eli Soyud and Dindin Manabat, who yielded the next two points on service and attack miscues, Cignal took command on sets, 2-1, on a Jovelyn Gonzaga power blast that came after Fifi Sharma scored on a power tip.
Almost even on attacks, 16-17, and blocks 3-2, the HD Spikers capitalized on the Chargers’ six unforced errors compared to their own two as Cignal bounced back from losses to Creamline and Choco Mucho after an opening game 3-1 win over sister team PLDT.
“Sobrang happy and thankful for the win. Grabe and pinagdaan namin before the game. We sacrificed a lot but we know what we are capable of,” said Cignal coach Shaq delos Santos. “Hopefully, we’ll get better in our future games.”
Vanie Gandler did dish out an impressive 14-hit performance, matching skipper Ces Molina’s output, while capping her big night with 14 excellent digs, next to Molina’s 16.
“My team motivates me,” said Gandler, who took the game’s top honors. “I know how hard we’ve been working and I know that we can do it. We’ve just been struggling a little bit but I can see that everyone is finding a way to learn from all our mistakes. But my teammates really helped me. Without them, I wouldn’t have done this.”
Gonzaga finished with 11 markers, Riri Meneses added nine points, Chin Basas had seven markers and Roselyn Doria wound up with six points although the HD Spikers lost by one, 57-58, in spikes.
So close was the match that Cignal finished just two blocks, 7-5, better than Akari, while the latter had more aces, 3-2.
But the HD Spikers pounced on the Chargers’ 28 unforced errors while yielding just 18 of their own.
Manabat continued to pace Akari’s offense with 21 points, including 20 on attacks, while Erika Raagas sizzled on the wings and finished with 16 points but Faith Nisperos settled for a 10-point game and Sharma chipped in eight markers.
Cignal actually squandered a couple of early four-point leads in the fourth set and fell behind, 12-13, on a Gonzaga wide attack. But they regrouped and closed out with a 13-7 run marked by a couple of spectacular hits from the Gizelle Sy-Doria combination.
Doria completed an uptempo attack off Sy’s one-handed set that gave Cignal an 18-16 lead then the duo connived in another quick play, capping the HD Spikers’ blistering 4-0 blast for a 21-16 bulge.
After a trade of points, Akari closed to within 19-22 on a Basas’ net violation and attack error but Sharma likewise made a net infraction in the ensuing play and Meneses foiled Manabat’s assault before Gandler responded to Manabat’s last hit with a loaded assault that wrapped up the grueling two-hour, five-minute encounter.
Cignal’s win thus halted Akari, which posted its best start on a 3-1 slate following back-to-back victories over Chery Tiggo and the Farm Fresh. The Chargers also stunned the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers but dropped a shutout loss to the PLDT High Speed Hitters.
Akari, on the other hand, will take a long break before resuming its campaign against tough Choco Mucho on Nov. 11 and Nxled on No. 14.