Cignal HD Spikers celebrate a point in the PVL All-Filipino conference. –PVL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–Cignal finally notched its first win in the Premiere Volleyball League’s All-Filipino Conference after sweeping Akari, 25-23, 25-20, 25-14, at Araneta Coliseum on Tuesday.
The HD Spikers snagged a much-needed morale-booster after a slow 0-2 start in the conference, dominating the young Chargers team, who remain in search of a first victory in this conference.
“Of course this first win helps up get high morale. The solution to our problem is really to win. We don’t have a ‘microwave’ mentality where everything is instant. There is no ‘instant.’ Everything should be worked hard for,” said team captain Rachel Anne Daquis.
“We’re okay in our training, it’s just in our mindset on how we move on the court, coach (Shaq Delos Santos) feeds us everything. This win has such a huge impact on our team, this gives us high morale. The team is happy and everyone’s enjoying themselves,” she added in Filipino.
Akari’s Trisha Genesis committed a service error to put Cignal at match point, but Gen Casugod stopped the bleeding only for Ezra Madrigal to commit a service error of her own to give the HD Spikers the victory for a 1-2 card.
A deciding 10-3 run, capped by a Rose Doria crosscourt kill, helped Cignal pull away in the final set for a 16-9 lead.
Gel Cayuna’s unsuccessful service halted the victors’ long rally but Rachel Anne Daquis quickly regained the momentum with a sideline kill to spark five unanswered points, 21-10.
Akari, which is still winless at 0-3, managed to hang tough with the HD Spikers through most of the sets, especially in the close first set.
But the Chargers couldn’t get enough steam to snatch even a set, closing in 23-24 in the opener before Glaudine Troncoso sealed the set win for Cignal.
Daquis led all scorers for Cignal with 11 points on eight spikes and three blocks while Doria followed suit with nine of her own.
Dindin Santiago-Manabat also had 11 markers built on 10 spikes in a losing effort for the Power Chargers. Michelle Cobb made up for seven of the team’s 12 excellent sets in the defeat.