Cagayan Valley eyes No. 4 vs Cignal

UNBEATEN Cagayan Valley shoots for a fourth straight victory and an outright semifinal slot when it tangles with Cignal today in the Super Liga women’s volleyball at Philsports Arena.

Relying on a short but very effective lineup, the Lady Rising Suns are slightly favored in their 4 p.m. duel with the HD spikers, who are bidding to end a two-game losing streak.

TMS-Philippine Army tries to solidify its second-running position when it collides with  slumping PLDT MyDSL at 6 p.m. while Petron tackles PCSO Bingo Milyonaryo in the 2 p.m.  opening match at 2 p.m.

Format for the inaugural season calls for a short, single round-robin eliminations with the top two teams securing automatic slots in semis. The last four will dispute the two other berths in knockout matches  that will pit No. 3 against No. 6, and No. 4 against No. 5.

Coach Nestor Pamilar credited Cagayan’s early success to the Rising Suns’ ability to quickly jell.  He also has a surplus of firepower in Shiela Marie Pineda, Analyn Joy Benito, Joy Cases and Sandra Delos Santos and a talented libero in Angelique Dionela and setter Wendy Semana.

The HD Spikers will try to bounce back behind Venus Bernal, Honey Royse Tubino and crowd darling Michelle Datuin.

Maureen Penetrante-Ouano, Stephanie Mercado and collegiate superstar Michelle Gumabao powered the PCSO Puffins to their first win, beating Cignal late Friday.