Chery Tiggo handed Army-Black Mamba its 14th consecutive loss, 25-21, 23-25, 25-16, 25-12, in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference, Saturday at the Philsports Arena.
Mylene Paat powered the Crossovers with 26 big points on 22 attacks and four blocks to go along with 12 excellent digs, helping her side tie Creamline at the top spot with identical 2-0 records.
EJ Laure and Cza Carandang each had 12 points while the debuting Pauline Gaston finished with eight points and seven excellent receptions.
The Lady Troopers, who finally made their All-Filipino debut, dropped their 14th consecutive game dating back to the 2022 PVL Invitational Conference. Their last win was back on July 26 when they swept the Crossovers.
“Yung mga experience na binibigay sa amin sa tingin ko yun yung mga ingredients na kailangan namin para maging consistent. Ang masasabi ko lang kanina we have to really trust one another kasi kanina medyo nagiging individual yung game namin,” said Chery Tiggo head coach Aaron Velez.
“Pero nung nakuha namin yung team work ulit namin… it started with the reception and then with a good playmaker, our setters, nag-deliver yung mga spikers. So it’s really more of the cohesion and really the communication should always be on point,” he added.
A set away from securing the win, the Crossovers took the life out of Army in the fourth set after Paat and Laure kick-started an 11-1 blast to turn an 11-9 disadvantage to a 22-10 spread which marked their biggest lead in the contest.
The Lady Troopers held on to two consecutive miscommunication errors from the side of Chery Tiggo but Carandang eventually pushed her side at match point before an attack error from Jeanette Villareal ended the game.
Honey Royse Tubino led Army with 16 points on 14 attacks and two blocks while Villareal chipped in 12 points.
Chery Tiggo will go up against PLDT on February 21, Tuesday at 6:30 PM while Army looks to bounce back against PLDT as well on Tuesday also at 6:30 PM. Both games will be played at the Philsports Arena.
