Cignal storms back, survives Choco Mucho for solo lead

Games Saturday
(Filoil Flying V Arena)
2:30 p.m. – PLDT vs Creamline
5:30 p.m. – Chery Tiggo vs Cignal

MANILA, Philippines – Cignal showed incredible grit as it rallied from two sets down to escape with a 24-26, 19-25, 25-16, 25-21, 15-11 victory over Choco Mucho on Thursday and seized the solo lead in the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference at the Filoil Flying V Arena.

Down two sets to none, the HD Spikers came roaring back by strengthening their net defense and court coverage while displaying nerves of steel to snare their second straight win and the No. 1 spot.

“We adjusted on our defense especially our service reception and coach kept telling us to play the way we use to play,” said Ces Molina, who exhibited a game-long brilliance and finished with a team-high 17 points including 15 off attacks.

Molina’s heroics came just several days after unleashing a 20-hit effort in a 25-17, 21-25, 25-20, 25-20 triumph over Army Black Mamba.

The game also produced a lot of heroes including Glaudine Troncoso, a newly acquired gem from Iloilo who made her first start and contributed 13 hits including 12 spikes.

Riri Meneses, Roselyn Doria and skipper Rachel Anne Daquis likewise came through and scattered 12, 11 and 10 hits, respectively.

It was, in contrast, a heartbreaking defeat for the Flying Titans, who erased a 19-24 opening-set deficit and rallied to snatch the set and the second to go up, 2-0, only to disintegrate themselves in the final three frames.

Kat Tolentino exploded with a season-high 31 points she laced with 25 magnificent kills but it had gone to waste after Choco Mucho couldn’t hold on to the early lead and fell to 1-1.

Cignal continued to show mastery of Choco Mucho, the same club the former edged for third place in the Open Conference last April.

Cignal zoomed to a strong 4-1 start in the last set but fell behind, 5-6, after Des Cheng’s pair of powerful hits.

It turned out Choco Mucho’s last show of force as the HD Spikers shut the door on the Flying Titans with Molina, Daquis, Doria and prolific setter Angel Cayuna taking turns in delivering the decisive blows.