Cignal guns for PVL finals berth

Games Tuesday
(Philsports Arena)

2:30 p.m. – Cignal vs Petro Gazz
5:30 p.m. – Creamline vs Chery Tiggo

MANILA, Philippines – For the first time in its young Premier Volleyball League life, Cignal is on the cusp of a breakthrough finals appearance.

It is a chance that the HD Spikers are expected to pounce on they shoot for nothing less than a victory against a dangerous Petro Gazz Tuesday in the PVL Reinforced Conference at the PhilSports Arena.

Cignal is expected to ride the crest of its giant-sized 23-25, 25-23, 28-26, 25-18 victory over top seed Creamline last Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum that sent the former to its second straight win in the semis and closer to its first appearance in the championship round since joining the league a year back.

And the HD Spikers could formalize their entry to the best-of-three finale unfurling Thursday at the Big Dome with another triumph at the expense of the Angels in their 2:30 p.m. duel.

“I must admit that it was really a big win beating a strong team like Creamline,” said Cignal coach Shaq delos Santos. “But we still have to prepare, recover and avoid complacency against Petro Gazz.”

Truly, Petro Gazz was also coming off an equally huge triumph at the expense of Chery Tiggo, 25-15, 25-17, 25-13, also last Sunday.

“We just have to keep on improving for us to have a chance against Petro Gazz,” said Delos Santos.

Creamline, for its part, eyes to bounce back from its stinging defeat that dropped it to 1-1 as it squares off with Chery Tiggo, winless in two games, in the other match at 5:30 p.m.

Wins by Cignal and by Creamline would seal a title duel, while victories by Petro Gazz and by Creamline would result to a three-way logjam for the two finals berths.

A win by Cignal and a loss by Creamline would send the former straight to the finals and the latter in a three-way tie with Petro Gazz and Chery Tiggo for the last finals spot.

All ties will be resolved by FIVB tiebreakers.