Cignal continued tits winning streak as it secured its third straight sets victory against Philippine Air Force with a 25-22, 25-16, 27-25 sweep in the 2023 Spikers' Turf Open Conference, Friday at Paco Arena in Manila.
This victory places the HD Spikers at the top of the 11-team field with a clean record of 3 wins and 0 losses, tying with Iloilo and AMC-Cotabato.
JP Bugaoan shone in the game, earning 16 points through 13 spikes, 2 blocks, and a service ace. Ysay Marasigan also contributed 10 points to the win.
The head coach of the HD Spikers, Dexter Clamor, shared his thoughts on the game and their strategy going forward.
"We are now in a load management when it comes sa mga players namin ngayon lalo na ang liga ay mahaba pa, maraming games at sa program namin ngayon patapos pa lang kami sa strength the reason why nagpapalit palit kami ng tao," said Clamor.
He added that their approach to the game involved rotating their players to keep everyone fresh, with the exception of star player Marck Espejo, who is under load management.
The Airmen put up a strong fight and came close to taking the third set, reaching 24-22 on a crosscourt kill by Ranran Abdilla.
However, the HD Spikers were able to save three set points and extend the frame to 25-all, with Wendel Miguel playing a crucial role in the comeback.
In the end, JP Bugaoan and the HD Spikers were able to secure the win by denying Edwin Tolentino. Miguel contributed 8 points to the victory, while Peter Torres and Alfred Valbuena had 6 and 5 points respectively.
Abdilla led Air Force, who now has a 1-3 record and are placed at ninth, with 15 points, 9 excellent receptions, and 4 digs. Tolentino earned 10 points in the game
