Bryan Bagunas-led Cignal completed its sweep of the 2024 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference elimination round after drubbing Maverick, 25-20, 25-9, 25-12, at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig on Friday afternoon.
This is the fifth time that the HD Spikers scored an impressive sweep in the elims, doing it also in the 2016 Open, 2019 Open, 2023 Open, and 2023 Invitational.
“Last game namin more on second six yung naglaro medyo hindi maganda yung performance ngayon pinabawi ko sila and they were able to perform better than last game namin,” said Cignal head coach Dexter Clamor after the second-stringers’ subpar performance last time out against VNS-Nasty,
“Magandang motivation ito for us and yung momentum namin going to semis medyo mataas yung morale namin pero pagdating sa semis back to zero lahat, yung 8-0 magiging useless kung hindi kami magpeperform,” he added.
Bagunas posted 10 points in two sets played in his first game back after missing the HD Spikers’ past two games due to commitments with his club team in Taiwan.
This is also Cignal’s first straight-sets win in its last four matches, needing five sets against Criss Cross, D’Navigators, and VNS-Nasty in its past three matches.
After a tight first set, the HD Spikers unleashed their fury and might in the next two to finish the Hard Hitters in one hour and 19 minutes for the 8-0 card.
Mark Calado top-scored for Cignal with 13 points built on 11 attacks while Lloyd Josafat added nine points in two sets of action.
The trio of Wendel Miguel, JP Bugaoan, and Alfred Valbuena also delivered six points apiece for the HD Spikers.
Razzel Palisoc paced the Hard Hitters with eight points while Jerome Cordez chipped in six in the loss.
