Cignal cruised past a young and inexperienced Kondohgumi Hyogo team with a dominant 25-11, 25-8, 25-18 victory, setting the stage for another explosive championship showdown with its fierce rival, Criss Cross, in the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference at the FilOil EcoOil Arena on Wednesday.
Rebounding from a four-set loss to the King Crunchers last Sunday, the HD Spikers wasted no time asserting their dominance. They overwhelmed the Japanese squad with their relentless power game and rock-solid blocking, crafting a lopsided victory that required minimal effort.
“Actually ‘pag dating nung game namin against Criss Cross pagod na lahat ‘eh. Pero ‘yung game na ‘yun is more on mind eh. Mas malakas dapat ‘yung utak kaysa sa katawan. So, given pagod na ‘yung katawan, ‘yung utak at puso dapat mas nagtatrabaho,” said Cignal head coach Dexter Clamor.
The HD Spikers displayed their fiercest form in the second set, unleashing 16 attack points while limiting Kondohgumi Hyogo to just five. In the third set, Hyogo showed more resistance, keeping the score tight at 11-12 and 13-16.
However, Cignal quickly regained control, capitalizing on their opponents’ inconsistent serves to reestablish dominance.
The set – and the match – ended on a sour note for Hyogo, as Cignal secured their final three points off the Japanese team’s service errors.
Cignal thus closed its semifinal stint with a 3-1 record, earning a rematch with Criss Cross, which earlier dashed Savouge’s title hopes in four sets with a flawless third-set performance for a perfect 3-0 slate.
The much-anticipated one-game finale is set for 6 p.m. on Sunday at the Philsports Arena.
With both finalists securing their spots, Friday’s final day of preliminary matches has become non-bearing. The bronze-medal match has also been confirmed, with DN Steel FEU and Savouge set to battle regardless of the results of their clash at 4 p.m. and the Criss Cross-Hyogo encounter at 6 p.m.
Facing an overmatched opponent that had already suffered two shutout defeats, Cignal coach Dexter Clamor seized the opportunity to rest key players ahead of Sunday’s grueling championship match.
Even with a shuffled lineup, the HD Spikers proved too powerful and polished for the Japanese team, which showed brief resistance in the third set.
Once Cignal regained its rhythm, there was no stopping the multi-titled squad.
All thirteen offensive players scored at least a point for the HD Spikers paced by Umandal with 16 points on 15 attacks, while Martin Bugaoan was solid at the net with eight markers, three coming from blocks.
Sandy Montero anchored the defense on three digs and six excellent receptions, while Cian Silang tossed 10 excellent sets.
Despite suffering their third consecutive straight-set loss, Kondohgumi Hyogo gained valuable experience competing against the country’s top teams. The Japanese team expressed gratitude for the opportunity, cherishing their brief but meaningful stint in the tournament.
Kaito Onomichi and Takata Akamatu finished with five markers each for the young Japanese side.
