Super Liga: Tubino sizzles for Cignal in win over PLDT-MyDSL

Cignals’s Venus Bernal in a fierce battle at the net off Wenneth Eulalio and Pau Soriano of PLDT My DSL at the Philsports arena .AUGUST DELA CRUZ/INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines — Cignal defeated skidding PLDT-MyDSL, 21-25, 25-21, 26-24, 25-22, Wednesday to get a shot at number two in the 2013 Philippine Super Liga volleyball invitational at the Philsports Arena.

After shrugging off a slow start, the HD Spikers turned to Honey Royse Tubino for the points as Venus Bernal and Danika Gendrauli struggled.

“We’re like diesel. We need to warm up first, but as the game goes on, we start to click,” said head coach Sinfronio Acaylar.

Acaylar’s adjustments in rotation in the fourth set allowed the HD Spikers to get breathing room.

“I told my setter [Arrian Argarin] to set plays in front of the opponent’s weak blockers. Like for Tubino, the one in front of her isn’t that strong,” said Acaylar, referring to Gianes Dolar.

Tubino, a fifth year player for Perpetual Help in the NCAA, wound up with a game-best 23 points, all but two from spikes including the game-clinching hit.

“I just did my best to help. Every game is important for us, we study it carefully,” said Tubino.

The veteran Bernal had 14 points while Gendrauli added 13 for Cignal, which could get second spot depending on the results of the second match.

PLDT-MyDSL, meanwhile, absorbed its fourth straight setback despite the presence of Adamson veterans Angela Benting and Pau Soriano.

Soriano and Benting each had 17 points.