After numerous near misses, Cignal finally secured its spot in the Final by dethroning the reigning champion Kurashiki, 25-23, 19-25, 25-23, 22-25, 15-11, in a thrilling match at the 2024 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference on Wednesday at the Philsports Arena.
The HD Spikers had finished the preliminary round as the second seed with a 3-1 record.
They will make their second finals appearance in franchise history.
Up next is the grand slam-seeking Creamline tomorrow at 6:00 PM at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Ito always kong sinasabi na very thankful, pero ngayon very talagang sobrang thankful kami kasi syempre Japan team ‘yung tinalo namin. Defending champion pa,” said Cignal head coach Shaq delos Santos.
Cignal’s last finals appearance came in the 2022 Reinforced Conference. They needed a crucial performance from MJ Perez in the decisive fifth set to fend off a resilient Kurashiki team.
(c) PVL Images
Despite trailing 1-2, the Ablaze pushed Cignal to the limit, forcing a thrilling final set.
With the score tied at 10-all, Perez ignited a decisive 5-1 run, delivering three crucial hits to secure the win after a grueling two-hour, 34-minute battle filled with intense rallies.
“We’re lucky din and so blessed na we have an import [like MJ] and a libero… buti na lang nakahabol si Dawn. Napakalaki ng impact niya samin, grabe. Kahit ‘di na ako magsalita grabe ‘yung naging performance. Yeah, sobrang, sobrang happy and blessed talaga,” added delos Santos.
Perez showcased another stellar performance, leading the offense with 36 points from 34 attacks and two blocks. She also contributed 21 excellent receptions.
Dawn Catindig, back for her second game with Cignal, anchored the defense with 27 excellent digs.
“Of course, we want to win. We are so happy to get this win especially now that we have Dawn now. She brings huge contributions to the team,” Perez remarked.
In addition to Perez’s performance, three other HD Spikers reached double digits: team captain Ces Molina with 13 points, and middle blockers Jackie Acuña and Riri Meneses, each with 10 points.
Meanwhile, Gel Cayuna added 22 excellent sets and three points to the win.
(c) PVL Images
Meanwhile, the 2-2 Ablaze will compete in the bronze match against Thai squad Est Cola at 4:00 PM.
Kurashiki’s Low Cing Mei led her team with 24 points from 20 attacks and four block kills. Saki Tanabe and Yukino Yano contributed 19 and 17 points, respectively, with Tanabe adding 16 excellent digs and Yano 18 excellent receptions.
Kyoka Oshima delivered 25 excellent sets and eight points, while Nana Fujimura recorded 18 excellent digs.
