PVL: MJ Perez, Cignal stay hot with win over Capital1

MJ Perez and the Cignal HD Spikers in the PVL Reinforced Conference.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–Cignal remained on top of the PVL Reinforced Conference Pool B standings after dragging Capital1 back to Earth, 25-20, 25-17, 23-25, 25-13, on Saturday at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

MJ Perez made that happen with 23 points, 20 attacks, two aces and a block for the HD Spikers to improve to 3-0. Her performance was highlighted with 12 excellent digs and 15 excellent receptions.

“Very thankful and proud of the team because it executed our game plan that we had in training two days ago,” coach Shaq delos Santos said in Filipino.

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“We just struggled in the third set but the good thing is that we recovered and knowing our team, if it really wants to come back, it will do everything to win,” he added.

Ces Molina and Jackie Acuña contributed 12 points each. Molina made her impact with 12 attacks while Acuña stopped six attacks at the net. Chin Basas added nine points.

Gel Cayuna tossed in 16 excellent sets and five points that she mostly got from 1-2 plays.

Capital1 failed to capitalize on its last win, a stunning sweep of Petro Gazz on Tuesday despite Marina Tushova’s 28 points, all but one coming from attacks.

“We are happy but still, it’s not enough I feel,” Perez said. “Still we feel like we [haven’t] reached our peak and we need to push more especially in these kinds of games. “Capital is a team that fights a lot. They’re young and have nothing to lose so they come to fight.”

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Des Clemente was the only other Solar Spiker who reached double digits with 10 points on eight attacks and two blocks as Capital1 slid down to a 1-2 card.

The Solar Spikers fought hard to extend the match and steal the third frame as the HD Spikers committed back-to-back errors and allowed Capital1 to tie the game and gain the match-point advantage before Tushova’s set clinching kill from the back row.

“We were very close to winning that set so we know that we have to push more … [Capital1] was fighting. I told the girls and coach told us we have to establish [ourselves] very strong and that was our mindset from the beginning—to be able to forget another set and start a new set with our game,” Perez said.

But that was all the heat the Capital1 could bring as Cignal got back on track to manufacture a 19-9 lead in the deciding frame.

And the HD Spikers refused to make the same mistakes in the final frame using a 5-0 run to secure their third win in as many games as Capital1 had 10 more errors than its opponent.

Despite a rousing start to the conference, Cignal is not looking to relax as it battles Petro Gazz, which is battling Akari as of posting time, next on Thursday.

“Our another win today is a big help … we have three days to study [Petro Gazz] … and knowing [the Angels] we will give them a lot of respect but the fight that we will give them also needs to be bigger,” Delos Santos said.