Cignal, PLDT belles in critical clash

Cignal seeks payback and a chance to close in on the leaders when it battles PLDT Home Fibr in the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference Tuesday at Muntinlupa Sports Center.

Action starts at 7 p.m. with the HD Spikers still licking the wounds of a sorry five-set loss to Generika-Ayala late Saturday.

Petron, meanwhile, shoots for its 11th win when it takes on lowly Marinerang Pilipina in the first game at 4:15 p.m.

The Blaze Spikers are lurking in solo second with a 10-1 win-loss card, one full game behind F2 Logistics that remains undefeated after 11 matches.

Foton and Generika-Ayala are in third with identical 7-5 cards, leaving Cignal, which is at 6-6, no choice but to put together wins in a string to close out classification and hope to finish in the upper half of the playoff draw.

The HD Spikers were looking to barge into the top four, but a heartbreaking 24-26, 25-19, 24-26, 25-18, 14-16 loss to Generika-Ayala derailed their bid.

In that match, skipper Rachel Anne Daquis erupted for 20 points while Filipino-American playmaker Alohi Robins-Hardy delivered a splendid all-around effort with 15 points, 30 excellent sets and 23 digs.

HD Spikers’ coach Edgar Barroga said they are moving on from that sorry episode and will focus on their remaining games to clinch a twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals.

“We have to move on from that loss because we still have two remaining games,” Barroga said.

“Those games are important. We need to be in a good standing entering the quarterfinals.”

On the same note, PLDT is also looking for a crucial win to improve its 4-7 win-loss record.

Power Hitters’ coach Roger Gorayeb said they have to be more consistent in order to have a chance.