Criss Cross continued to assert its dominance while Savouge punched its own ticket to the next round as the semifinal cast began to take shape in the 2026 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference on Wednesday at the Filoil Centre.
The King Crunchers stayed spotless, dismantling AEP-Cabstars in emphatic fashion, 25-12, 25-14, 25-13, to stretch their unbeaten run to eight matches and solidify their place atop the standings heading into the round-robin semifinals.
Criss Cross showed no signs of slowing down, overwhelming the Cabstars from the opening serve in a one-hour rout marked by control on all fronts. The league leaders dominated at the net with 16 kill blocks against just two from their opponents, while also holding a commanding 41-26 edge in attacks and a 5-0 advantage in service aces.
“Sobrang proud ako sa teammates ko kasi talagang pinaghirapan ng bawat isa ‘yung 8-0 na ‘yun,” said Jude Garcia, who led the way with 12 points, including four aces. “Dun mo talaga makikita ‘yung sacrifices ng bawat isa… pero siyempre ‘di pa tapos.”
Garcia shared scoring honors with Noel Kampton, who also had 12 points built on eight attacks, three blocks, and an ace. Alche Gupiteo chipped in nine points and nine excellent receptions, while Kim Malabunga and Poy Colinares added nine and seven markers, respectively. Adrian Villados orchestrated the offense with 16 excellent sets on top of four points.
AEP-Cabstars, who missed Vince Abrot, dropped to 3-4 despite eight-point outputs from Jay Rack De La Noche and Jared Schnake. EJ Casaña dished out 17 excellent sets, while Vince Lorenzo logged 23 excellent receptions in the loss.
(C) Spikers Turf Images
Earlier, Savouge bounced back from consecutive losses—both at the hands of Criss Cross—by venting its frustrations on 3B in a swift 25-18, 25-13, 25-13 victory to clinch the second semifinal berth.
Even without head coach Sydney Calderon, the Spin Doctors delivered a statement performance, improving to 5-2 to join the King Crunchers in the next phase of the Sports Vision-organized tournament.
“Kailangan talaga namin makahanap ng panalo… kailangan na kailangan namin makabawi para makakuha ulit kami ng panalo,” said assistant coach Macky Cariño, who took the reins in Calderon’s absence. “Sa mga susunod naming laban, ito na ‘yung preparation namin.”
Savouge dominated from start to finish, pounding 42 attack points against 3B’s 21, firing 10 aces while conceding just one, and controlling the net with a 6-1 blocking edge. The team also kept its errors to a minimal 11, compared to 3B’s 17.
JP Bugaoan and Joeven Dela Vega paced the Spin Doctors with 10 points apiece, with Bugaoan achieving his total in just two sets. Shawie Caritativo added seven points, while Louie Ramirez contributed six, also in limited action.
On the other side, 3B slid to 2-6 despite a team-high six points from Kenneth Daynata, with Israel Encina adding five in a game where they missed Carl Berdal.
Criss Cross will look to extend its winning streak to nine when it faces winless VNS Always Bright Laticrete on Friday at 1 p.m., while Savouge eyes a follow-up win against Alpha Insurance at 5 p.m.
Meanwhile, AEP-Cabstars and 3B will clash at 3 p.m. in a crucial battle for positioning, with both teams seeking to stay in the semifinal hunt.
