Criss Cross slammed the door shut on Savouge Aesthetics, but not without some challenge, winning 25-15, 25-19, 31-33, 25-19, thus completing the semifinals cast of the 2024 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference on Friday evening at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
With this King Crunchers win that dropped the Spin Doctors to 4-4, PGJC-Navy (5-2) and D’Navigators (5-2) gained entry to the round-robin semis, joining Cignal and Criss Cross.
“Bilog ang bola. I’m just really happy that the level of men’s volleyball is rising, that’s it,” said Criss Cross libero Manuel Sumanguid with 21 receptions and nine digs.
The King Crunchers were actually at match point in the third set by a mile, 24-17, but the Spin Doctors never lost faith in themselves as Hero Austria, Norwel Sanama, and Sherwin Caritativo teamed up even to put their side on top with eight straight points, making it 25-24.
The two squads exchanged points until Caritativo unleashed a through-the-block kill followed by a denial on Pemie Bagalay to extend the match to a fourth set, which ended 33-31.
But it was also Savouge’s errors that killed them in the fourth as a Caritativo service error and three straight Sanama mishits widened their deficit from 17-19 to 17-23, while Jude Garcia and Marck Espejo drilled the finishers for Criss Cross to end the match in two hours and two minutes.
Backed by a three-game winning streak, the King Crunchers finished second in the eliminations with a 7-1 record, just behind their lone tormentor - the HD Spikers.
Garcia logged 22 points on 16 attacks, five blocks, and an ace along with six digs to lead Criss Cross, while Chu Njigha added 12 points of his own.
Kim Malabunga provided 11 points, including four blocks, while Bagalay had 10 points and 12 excellent receptions.
Sanama paced Savouge with 21 points, comprising 19 attacks and two blocks.
Caritativo also contributed 14 points, nine receptions, and seven digs as the Spin Doctors finished fifth in their second conference in the country’s premier men’s league.
