Chery Tiggo gave Eya Laure the perfect birthday gift, turning back Petro Gazz in five sets, 25-21, 18-25, 22-25, 25-19, 15-13, for its second-straight win in the 2024 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference, Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Laure, who turned 25 today, scored a team-high 15 points to go along with 12 excellent digs and eight excellent receptions to help the Crossovers recover from a 1-2 deficit and turn the day into a double celebration.
“Well, maganda yung pinerform kasi nanalo. Kung natalo, other way around. Pero yun nga, maganda yung naging last two sets namin kasi nga yung character na gusto naming mangyari, nandun na,” said Chery Tiggo head coach Kungfu Reyes.
“Andun na rin yung communication, yung grit. Hanggang dulo, hangga’t di tapos yung laro, walang titigil,” he added.
With the Crossovers trailing by two points, Cza Carandang, Mylene Paat, and Laure joined hands in a three-to-nothing swing to give their side a slim 12-11 advantage late in the fifth set.
Jonah Sabete tried to keep the Angels alive, trading hits with Paat which eventually locked the scores at 13-all. Paat then came through once again, scoring through the block before Sabete’s attack sailed out which handed Chery Tiggo the win.
“With the fifth set, we were up by three, down by five, hanggang sa nag-habol kami sa dulo, makikita mo yung eagerness ng bawa’t isa na iisa lang yung pinupuntahan, yung team, yung core na kung ano yung adjustments na nagawa namin, pinagtulung-tulungan ng mga players,” said Reyes.
Ara Galang, who only played in the first three sets, came up with 12 points while Paat and EJ Laure tallied 10 points each for the Crossovers, who tied their victims with identical 4-2 records.
Alina Bicar tossed 19 excellent sets to go along with two points, while Jennifer Nierva had another stellar defensive outing with 29 excellent sets and 14 excellent receptions in the victory.
Chery Tiggo will try to stretch its winning run to two games against Nxled on Tuesday, 4:00 p.m.
On the other hand, Brooke Van Sickle’s 27-point outing went down the drain as the Angels’ three-game winning streak got snapped. She also had 20 excellent digs and 12 excellent receptions while Sabete added 22 points.
Petro Gazz will look to bounce back against Capital1 also on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.
