Cignal HD B regained its strength down the stretch to eke out a pulsating 25-10, 24-26, 15-10 victory over F2 Logistics B to stay alive in the 2017 Belo Philippine Superliga (PSL) Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup yesterday at the SM By the Bay in Mall of Asia.
Composed of Mylene Paat and Janine Marciano, the HD Spikers unleashed their deadly form in the third set to stun the Cargo Movers’ pair of Aby Marano and Cha Cruz and move on the verge of advancing to the quarterfinals of this annual tourney bankrolled by Stoked, Mikasa, Senoh, Mizuno, Rebisco and SM By the Bay.
Paat took charge of defending the net while Marciano attacked the defense with full authority as they turned a 3-3 deadlock into a comfortable 11-5 lead in the third set to book the victory.
“Nung third set, nag-usap na talaga kami. Iniisip namin na simula ulit kami kaya sinubukan talaga namin na i-lessen ang mga errors namin,” said Marciano, admitting that they failed to handle the strength of the Cargo Movers in the second set following a strong start in the opening canto.
The HD Spikers, who lost to the powerhouse tandem of Fiola Ceballos and Patty Orendain of Generika-Ayala A in the opening day late Thursday, are hoping that the Cargo Movers succumb in their final match of the preliminaries against the Lifesavers to make it to the next round.
F2 Logistics B and Generika-Ayala A are still playing at press time.
In other results, Cignal HD formally moved to the next round of the men’s division after dominating Wayuk, 21-9, 21-10, while IEM B clobbered TVM, 22-20, 21-16; Generika-Ayala crushed Perpetual B, 21-13, 21-8; Cignal HD smothered IEM A, 21-14, 21-11; Perpetual Help A bombed TVM, 21-16, 21-11; Perpetual Help B zapped Wayuk, 21-6, 21-12; Generika Ayala escaped Cignal HD, 21-14, 29-31, 15-7; and SM By the Bay downed Perpetual Help A, 21-20, 21-14.