Bryan Bagunas delivered the goods as defending champion Cignal swept PGJC-Navy in a tight straight-set affair, 25-16, 29-27, 25-22, in the 2024 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference round-robin semifinals, Wednesday night at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Bagunas was a man possessed for the HD Spikers, firing a game-high 21 points on 18 attacks, two aces, and one block to go along with seven excellent receptions to help his side take the early lead in the semis with a 1-0 slate laced with three points.
Cignal also held the set ratio advantage over the D’Navigators, who won in four sets against Criss Cross earlier in the day, after winning the game over the Sealions via sweep.
“Yung first set medyo maganda yung performance nila. Second set naging complacent, yun talaga yung iniiwasan namin lamang kami all throughout tapos binibigyan nila ng chance yung kalaban,” said HD Spikers head coach Dexter Clamor.
Ahead by a solitary point in the third, 20-19, JP Bugaoan and Bagunas joined hands in a 3-1 run that allowed Cignal to pull away with a 23-20 advantage.
Navy tried to comeback after a Bagunas service error was followed by an Omar Lioc off-the-block hit, but it was not enough as Greg Dolor committed an error as well before Jau Umandal scored through the block to finish the game.
“Lahat ng pumasok sa top four malalakas, lahat ng teams kayang pumasok ng championship so it’s all about yung pinakagustong pumasok sa (finals), yun yung papasok sa finals. ‘Di ibig sabihin na lamang kami sa talent eh sure na agad kami,” said Clamor.
Umandal chipped in nine points while Lloyd Josafat and Bugaoan chimed in with seven markers each for the HD Spikers. Calado added six points off the bench.
Cian Silang delivered 15 excellent sets while Vince Lorenzo registered 10 excellent digs in the contest.
Cignal battles a motivated D’Navigators on Friday, 4:00 p.m. at the same venue.
Dolor led the way for Navy with 12 points while Omar Lioc and Peter Quiel each contributed 10 markers in the loss. Joeven Dela Vega was held to just six.
The Sealions will try to bounce back against the King Crunchers also on Friday at 6:00 p.m.
