by Kristel Satumbaga
Games Wednesday (The Arena, San Juan City)
1 p.m. – Cignal vs IEM (m)
4 p.m. – PetroGazz vs Pocari-Air Force (w)
6:30 p.m. – Tacloban vs Iriga-Navy (w)
Cignal hardly flexed its muscles in disposing of Air Force, 25-20, 25-16, 25-10, yesterday to forge a three-way tie at the top spot in the men’s division of the 2018 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the Batangas City Sports Coliseum.
The HD Spikers needed only 61 minutes to dispatch the Jet Spikers, getting a big lift from former Ateneo standouts Marck Espejo and Rex Intal in clinching their second win in three matches.
The victory propelled Cignal into tie with debuting Vice Co. and Instituto Estetico Manila at the helm while regaining its momentum following a four-set defeat to PLDT last week.
Espejo fueled the HD Spikers with 17 points including 15 hits, while Intal posted six blocks to chip in with 10 points.
Still reeling from a five-set loss to Army also last week, Air Force failed to gain composure and slipped to its second defeat in three matches.
The Jet Spikers were lethargic throughout the match, struggling with their serves and failing to convert plays. The team only managed 16 excellent sets and none from the squad finished in double figures.
Ranran Abdilla and Fauzi Ismail, two of the strongest spikers in the league, could do only with eight and seven points, respectively, while combining for 12 attacks.
Even power-hitting Howard Mojica was limited to three points in two sets.
