Cignal salvaged a measure of pride, shaking off mid-game struggles and sweeping the last two sets to foil Savouge Athletics, 25-18, 17-25, 23-25, 25-19, 15-12, and claim the bronze medal in the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan on Saturday.
The victory saved the multi-titled powerhouse from what could’ve been its worst finish after seeing their Finals streak end at eight. Yet it took grit, recalibration, and an iron resolve to climb out of a 1-2 set hole and save a podium finish – their 16th straight – while avenging their straight-set loss to the Spin Doctors in the semifinals just five days earlier.
Cignal also denied Savouge a third-straight bronze finish as the Spin Doctors wound up fourth.
“For the past seven or eight years lagi kaming nasa Finals. Still, for us, this is still special for us kasi nga ‘yung mga national team players wala but natawid namin, podium finish pa rin. Bronze is bronze,” said Cignal head coach Dexter Clamor, referring to the absence of several key players.
“Proud ako sa mga team captains ko, si JP at Wendel na itinawid talaga nila, binuo talaga nila ‘yung team para patuloy kaming gumawa ng mga bagay na alam naming makakatulong sa team at para makuha pa rin ‘yung panalo,” he added.
The Spin Doctors moved a set away from securing another bronze after snatching the third frame, 25-23, on an off-the-block hit by Giles Torres.
But the Super Spikers reminded everyone why they remain the winningest team in the league.
Tied at 16 in the fourth, Wendel Miguel, Vince Maglinao and the Bugaoan brothers, JP and Martin, joined forces for a strong 9-3 closing run to force a deciding set.
Their blocking, a weapon long associated with the franchise’s championship pedigree, kept them afloat – Cignal’s final three points in Set 4 came on consecutive rejections of Mark Calado.
Maglinao then seized the spotlight in the nerve-wracking decider, where every brief exchange felt like a potential turning point and where challenges and counter-challenges repeatedly halted momentum and stretched the tension to its breaking point.
His contested block touch late in set even delayed what looked, for a moment, like Cignal’s bronze-clinching celebration.
With the score knotted at 11, Maglinao scored on a clutch block touch, sparking a critical Cignal surge. A towering Cian Silang block on Shawie Caritativo and a blistering Steve Rotter ace brought the Super Spikers to match point at 14-11, seemingly sealing the bronze.
Then chaos unfolded.
Maglinao hammered what appeared to be the winner, and Cignal erupted in celebration after officials awarded them the point on a block touch.
Savouge challenged.
Video review showed the ball never grazed the defenders’ fingers. Point overturned: 12-14.
Cignal immediately countered with a challenge of their own, this time claiming a net touch.
Another review – but this time, the call stood. Savouge’s point.
The tension inside FilOil swelled as the crowd held its breath.
On the next play, Maglinao’s attack sailed long – seemingly a momentum shift in Savouge’s favor. But Cignal again challenged for a block touch, and this time the replay revealed a clear movement in a Savouge blocker’s finger. The call validated Cignal’s claim, sealing a dramatic, nerve-shredding, and redemptive bronze-medal triumph.
Miguel, the longest-tenured Super Spiker, dropped a team-high 21 points on 20 spikes and one ace while Maglinao and Rotter chimed in 12 points apiece in limited action.
“Tulad nga ng sabi ni coach Dex, nung una mabigat kasi nga alam naman natin na lagi tayong nasa finals. Pero naka-move on na rin naman kami and masaya kami sa narating namin ngayon. Masaya ako kasi ‘yung response ng mga teammates ko, despite sa mga nangyayari, na ayun nga natalo kami, positive, maganda kaya sobrang proud ako sa team namin,” said Miguel.
Maglinao also produced 16 excellent receptions.
The Bugaoans also made their presence felt with 10 points each with JP tallying five blocks and Martin notching three of his own.
Calado paced the Spin Doctors, who absorbed three straight losses to miss the podium, with 24 points and 10 digs.
Caritativo added 19 points and 28 excellent receptions while Norwel Sanama impressed with 18 points.
