CIGNAL started its 2017 Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference campaign on the right track with a 19-25, 25-18, 25-13, 23-25, 15-12 victory over Sta. Lucia, Thursday afternoon at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
Jov Gonzaga showed the way for the HD Spikers as she unleashed 22 points built on 19 kills and three blocks, while Rachel Anne Daquis had 10 of her 14 markers off hits.
Cherry May Vivas also added 13 points in the breakthrough win for Cignal, while Maica Morada had 10.
Surrendering the first set, the HD Spikers collected the next two sets but failed to close it out in the fourth, with Lourdes Clemente and Rica Rivera linking up to keep the Lady Realtors alive, 25-23 in the fourth set.
But Gonzaga carried Cignal in the decider, unleashing her flurry of kills to open the conference with a 15-13, Set 5 victory.
“Pinabilis ko ang mga atake namin, lalo na’t malalaki ang blocker nila, dahil kailangan nila makapag-penetrate at naging effective naman yun para sa amin,” said first-year Cignal head coach George Pascua. “Ang problema lang kapag na-block ay na-rattle sila kaya iyon ang pagtutunan ko ng pansin.”
MJ Phillips topped Sta. Lucia with 16 points, 10 coming from attacks, while Danika Gendrauli had 15 in the losing effort.
Cignal (1-0) will next face Petron on Saturday, June 10, at 7 p.m. Sta. Lucia (0-1) hope to bounce back from this conference-opening loss, also against Petron on June 13, Tuesday, at 5 p.m.
The Scores:
Cignal HD (3) – Gonzaga 22, Daquis 14, Vivas 13, Morada 10, Tubino 3, Saet 3, Carlos 1, Mercado 0, Paat 0, Marciano 0, Macatuno 0, Dionela (L), Torres (L).
Sta. Lucia (2) – Phillips 16, Gendrauli 15, Navarro 7, Clemente 7, Lastimosa 5, Salamagos 5, Cheng 3, Sante 3, Raslan 2, Sabete 0, Enclona (L), Rivera (L).
