MJ Perez (15) and Ces Molina team up to carry Cignal past ZUS Coffee in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — After several championship duels in the past, Ces Molina and MJ Perez are finally on the same side leading Cignal in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference.
Molina and Perez clashed in three Philippine Superliga Grand Prix finals from 2017 to 2019 with the Venezuelan leading F2 Logistics to a triumph in their first meeting against Petron, which bounced back in the next two seasons.
Now that they’re together, Molina hopes to bring the HD Spikers back to the finals two years after their breakthrough.
READ: PVL: MJ Perez leads Cignal over ZUS Coffee for 2-0 start
Ces Molina and MJ Perez on teaming up and leading Cignal to a 2-0 record in Pool B. #PVL2024 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/6QUt946RUp
— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) July 23, 2024
“Siyempre sobrang happy kasi di ko na kailangan i-receive yung mga palo niya. So yun very inspiring and motivating para sa team malaking bagay na si MJ yung nakuha naming import para makuha na namin yung goal namin this conference,” said Molina. “We’re looking forward din na makapagperform yung team like mataas na level ng volleyball dahil kay MJ.”
Perez is also thrilled to have Molina on her side and playing for former rival coach Shaq Delos Santos.
“She’s a really hard-working person. She’s the more experienced girl in the team so everybody follows her, of course. But it’s nice to be around her and she’s very hardworking,” said Perez.
Perez fired 30 points off 26 attacks, three aces, and a block, while Molina delivered 16 points including four aces to keep Cignal unbeaten in two games in Pool B after beating ZUS Coffee, 25-18, 29-27, 21-25, 25-22, on Tuesday.
Despite an unbeaten start, Molina said Cignal must work on their lapses and provide more support for their import in their upcoming games.
READ: PVL: Cignal dominates Choco Mucho in their Reinforced opener
“I think yung one thing na kailangan namin mamindset talaga is to help the team, to help Amiga every game kasi nandito siya to help us pero hindi ibig sabihin na kailangan buhatin niya yung buong team kailangan tulungan namin siya,” said the former Invitational MVP Molina.
“Sa mga skills kailangan namin pumasa ng maganda kasi strong attacker yung import namin so kailangan hindi kami mawawalan ng pasa every game yun yung mga bagay na technically kailangan namin mamaintain.”
Perez credited her 30-point explosion to her teammates s they eye their third win in Pool B against Capital1 on Saturday.
“I’m here to help my team so of course, I will do my best to do my best performance and help the team as most as I can so this is teamwork. I cannot do 30 points alone,” she said. “I need my teammates. I need everybody helping me. So, I feel like this is not about me scoring about 30 points, this is about my team helping me score these points.”