Cignal, its poise and character tested right in the opening set, survived Santa Rosa City’s tough stand in the early going then the HD Spikers went on to drive past the Lions, 25-22, 25-10, 25-21, and mark its Spikers’ Turf Invitational debut with a straight-set romp at the Paco Arena on Sunday.
Foiled in their upset bid in the first frame and clobbered in the next, the City Lions refused to give up and kept it close in the third, saving two match points on a Hero Austria blast and a Cignal net miscue that closed the gap at 21-24.
But Austria came up short in his one-handed left tip bid while trying to save a seemingly flawed set, paving the way for the Open Conference champions’ victory in one-hour and 31 minutes of fast-paced action.
“First game, so they were sort of erratic in the first set. We expected it since hindi naman ganun kadali maka-adapt,” said Cignal coach Dexter Clamor. “But it was a good performance – from both our first and second units.”
The high-flying JP Bugaoan pumped in seven points and produced the same output in blocking as he top-scored with 14 markers while Joshua Umandal finished with 12 points as the HD Spikers hurdled their first assignment in Pool C without former ace hitter Marck Espejo.
Gadpray Aresgado scored 10 points while Levi de Vera, Madz Gampong and Austria combined for 17 points for the City Lions, who dropped another three-setter after bowing to the Sains and Latters-Letran last week.
The HD Spikers smothered the City Lions with 41 attack points and made 12 blocks and four aces. Santa Rosa finished with 29 spikes, five blocks and one ace.
Cignal’s victory set up a fiery duel with Letran on Nov. 3.
Santa Rosa pounced on Cignal’s shaky start and threatened at 21-22 but Umandal atoned for an earlier miscue with an off-the-block hit then the HD Spikers moved to set point on a de Vera power tip that failed to clear the net.
Umandal wrapped it up with a backrow attack off after a wild exchange of power blasts and spectacular saves.
