Champion Supra Spikers have finally barged into the win column after outlasting 100Plus Active Spikers in four sets, 25-22, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-14, in the Spikers’ Turf Season 2 Reinforced Conference Monday afternoon at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Three Supra Spikers paced Champion’s offense in their first victory of the conference. Joven Camaganakan led Champion with 18 points off 17 attacks. Berlin Paglinawan scored 13 off 11 attacks, while Arjay Onia chipped in 12 markers. Setter Geuel Asia made 23 excellent sets.
Both squads went back and forth right in the first set. From a 17-all deadlock midway, Champion took the upper hand, 20-18, but 100Plus answered back off through-the-block hits to force another tie at 21-all. But that proved to be the Active Spikers’ last push, as Champion pulled a 4-1 burst led by Camaganakan’s kills to emerge victorious, 25-22.
After being denied a comeback attempt in the opening frame, 100Plus regrouped and took the driver’s seat all throughout the second set. Despite Champion being able to run back from a 22-18 deficit to just a single point, 22-21, the Active Spikers weathered such, relying on Champion’s errors and Braganay’s timely hits to get even at 1-1, 25-22.
The Supra Spikers came back strong in the third set, overcoming a slow 8-4 start to snatch the lead from 100Plus, 18-14. The Active Spikers, meanwhile, made a run of their own, cutting a 22-17 lag down to a point, 24-23. However, their surge fell short once more, as Camaganakan closed the set with an open hit to bring Champion up 2-1, 25-23.
Champion sustained momentum in the fourth and final canto. With 100Plus losing their composure as the set went along, the Supra Spikers took advantage of such and controlled the tempo. From a slim 16-12 lead, Champion unleashed a beastly 9-2 run behind open hits and down-the-line finishes to send down 100Plus, 25-14, and post their first win.
Champion head coach Arnold Laniog attributed the team’s first victory to the players’ chemistry, which has developed over the course and showed flashes in their five-set loss against Cignal last Saturday.
“Coming off a five-set loss against Cignal, doon pa lang nagsisimulang mag-gel yung team,” said Laniog. “And ngayon lang nag-result sa maganda.”
“Hopefully maka-catch up kami in our last two games,” he added.
Philip Bagalay and Jasper Adorador led 100Plus with 19 points apiece in a losing effort.
Champion (1-2) will try to post back-to-back win as they face Philippine Army this Saturday, October 22. 100Plus (0-4), meanwhile, still looks for their first win of the conference as they battle Cignal next on October 29, Saturday. Both matches are set at 12:30 PM.
The Scores:
Champion (3) – Camaganakan 18, Paglinawan 13, Onia 12, Jose 7, Frey 5, Dumago 4, Del Pilar 3, Relata 2, Asia 1, Hu 0, Mangaring L, Movido L.
100Plus (1) – Bagalay 19, Adorador 19, Lucindo 10, Sarabia 7, Gerella 3, Duran 2_ Ocampo 2, Barrica 1, Cuzon 1, Aureo 0, Chua L, Eugenio L.
Photo from Spikers Turf Facebook page
