Joshua Pacio vs. Yuya Wakamatsu: Clash of Champions at ONE 173
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Cignal claims semis spot after outlasting Akari on PVL On Tour
Cignal knocked Akari out in the quarterfinals with a 25-20, 25-11, 28-16 win, booking a semifinals slot in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) On Tour on Thursday, August 7, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
Erika Santos spearheaded the triumph, tallying 24 points built from 22 attacks, including the game-winning spike.
Santos ignited the second set, erupting 11 markers, to power the HD Spikers to an 18-7 cushion. Her scoring spree paved the way for a dominant 14-point win that put Cignal on the brink of a sweep.
The young opposite spiker also sealed the match with a game-winning spike that clipped Akari’s line. This came after the Chargers twice reached set point at 24-23 and 25-24, only for Chenie Tagaod to commit back-to-back attack errors. Grethcel Soltones momentarily pulled Akari level in the third at 26-all, but Tin Tiamzon’s clutch hit put Cignal at match point, 27-26.
CIGNAL HD SPIKERS
“It’s really about the trust we have in our team and our players. We had quite a long rest before this game, so we really used that time to prepare. We focused on strengthening our foundation and made sure we invested in our preparation,” said Coach Shaq Delos Santos in Filipino.
“We knew we were going up against a team with veteran and experienced players. Akari’s players are tall and their attacks are intense. Their blocks gave us a hard time, too…We also expected that the game could get close. What really helped was how well we prepared and got ready for it.”
Gel Cayuna orchestrated the offense with 18 excellent sets while chipping in three points. Rose Doria-Aquino added 10 points, Ishie Lalongisip tallied nine, and libero Buding Duremdes anchored the floor defense with 20 digs.
From finishing 9th in the 2024-25 All-Filipino Conference, Cignal is now headed to the PVL semifinals. The HD Spikers will face the winner of the Nxled-Chery Tiggo quarterfinals clash on Tuesday, August 12, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
On the other hand, Eli Soyud led the Chargers with 13 markers while Ced Domingo registered 11.
