PSL: Petron, Cignal triumph

Aiza Maizo leads Petron Tri-Activ in PSL. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

PETRON scored a morale-boosting win over Standard Insurance-Navy even as Cignal took its turn on hapless Amy’s Kitchen-Perpetual last night in the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference at FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.

The Tri-Activ Spikers walloped the Corvettes, 25-16, 25-18, 25-19, to book their fifth win in seven games and made sure they will enter the next phase of the tournament on a winning note.

Earlier, the HD Spikers dumped the Amy’s Spikers, 25-21, 25-12, 25-21, for only their second victory in the tournament. Amy’s Kitchen closed out the eliminations without a win in seven games.

Towering rookie Jeannete Panaga scored 18 points, including 12 attacks to power the HD Spikers, who also got 10 points from Cherry Mae Vivas.

Despite the win, Cignal coach Sammy Acaylar wasn’t pleased with the way his wards played.

“I’m not satisfied because I know that they can do better. The way we play in practice is different from the way we play in the actual game,” said Acaylar, who will head the PH team to the FIVB Women’s Club World
Championships.

Acaylar said the team needed “psychological strength,” as Cignal tends to weaken when faced by tough opposition.

Cignal will be bunched in Group B of the tourney along with Amy’s, Generika and Standard Insurance-Navy in the second round that will only determine the placings.