Choco Mucho pounced on a short-handed Chery Tiggo side and pounded out a 25-21, 25-21, 25-21 triumph at the start of the PVL Invitational Conference before a big opening day crowd Saturday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
The young and tall Flying Titans pulled through in a tight finish in the first set, weathered the Crossovers’ late charge in the next then shook off a shaky start in the third before fending off another gritty stand by their rivals in a thrilling endgame marked by long rallies to the delight of the screaming fans from both sides.
Meantime, Cignal turned in another imposing start, outlasting Army Black Mamba, 25-17, 21-25, 25-20, 25-20.
Ces Molina and Rachel Daquis stood at the forefront of the HD Spikers’ pair of explosive windups while Gel Cayuna stayed as sharp as ever despite a long layoff, putting up a stellar game after winning the best setter honors in the PVL Open Conference last April.
The Crossovers, who played without the Santiago sisters – with Jaja Santiago still in the Japan league and Dindin Manabat sustaining an ankle injury in a recent tune-up, kept on fighting through sheer guts and determination, forcing an 18-all count to stay alive.
But the Flying Titans re-asserted their might, taking five of the next seven, only to find the Crossovers back in the game aided by Isa Molde’s backrow bid that failed to clear the net, enabling Chery Tiggo to threaten at 24-23 and setting up a thrilling finish.
But after another exchange of hits, blocks and saves, Kat Tolentino came through with her own backrow blast that hit the hands of Chery Tiggo defender Czarina Carandang and dropped to an unguarded spot in the middle.
Gayuna produced 24 excellent sets, six more than counterpart Ivy Perez, with Molina and Daquis converting most of their hits from Cayuna’s superb playmaking skills all throughout the match that kicked off the league’s mid-season conference, which will feature two foreign squads in the next phase.
“We made some adjustments on our service receive and got our combination and attacking game going,” said Cayuna, who chipped in seven points on her way to bagging the game’s best player honors.
Thrust into the spotlight in the absence of head coach Shaq delos Santos, assistant mentor Kirk Beliran delivered, firing up his wards when they were in control and motivating them when trailing.
“I’m thankful that they were able to adjust on our service receive. They struggled but I have complete trust in them,” said Beliran, who also drew 16 digs from Angelique Dionela and 14 from Molina and 22 points from the team in reception.
The HD Spikers also controlled the net to anchor their solid defense, coming away with 16 blocks against their rivals’ four with Molina and Daquis likewise flashing their fine defensive skills and timing with a combined seven-block effort.
