Cignal, in a display of sheer dominance, proved too formidable for Strong Group, coming through with a 25-7, 25-16, 25-16 victory to get back into the groove of things in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Filoil EcoOil Arena in San Juan Tuesday.
Ces Molina led the charge for the HD Spikers, demonstrating her determination to redeem themselves from a previous shutout loss to the undefeated Choco Mucho Flying Titans. Her stellar performance, tallying 14 points, including a barrage of hits in the third set, quashed any hopes of a comeback from the Athletics, who forced four deadlocks, the last at 6.
With a series of powerful hits, Molina steered Cignal to a comfortable lead, leaving the Athletics struggling to keep pace. Despite a brief resurgence late in the frame, Molina’s relentless offensive onslaught proved too much for the Athletics to handle.
Cignal thus tied Petro Gazz and Creamline at 4-1 for second spot, behind Choco Mucho’s 4-0 card while likewise extending Strong Group’s losing skid to five in its maiden appearance in the season-opening conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.
“We really worked hard to minimize our errors,” said playmaker Gel Cayuna, referring to the HD Spikers’ sloppy performance against the Flying Titans where they conceded 20 unforced errors.
Against the Athletics, the HD Spikers’ solid defense in the first set and disciplined gameplay the rest of the way were evident, limiting their rivals’ scoring opportunities while cashing in on their offensive edge.
Vanie Gandler, who struggled for just four markers against the Flying Titans, hammered in 16 points, while Riri Meneses and Roselyn Doria added eight and seven points, respectively, for Cignal, which finished with 47 attack points, compared to Strong Group’s measly 17-attack point production.
Sheeka Espinosa scored eight points while Joy Onofre, Dolly Verzosa, Justine Rebleza and Souzan Raslan combined for 15 points for the Athletics.
Looking ahead to a challenging match against Creamline next Tuesday, Cayuna stressed the importance of refining all aspects of their game.
“Service receive is our primary focus, but against a powerhouse team like Creamline, we need to improve every aspect of our game. So we need to prepare diligently,” said Cayuna.
