Criss Cross capped an impressive day for the tournament’s fancied teams, delivering a convincing 25-19, 25-12, 25-22 victory over VNS-Laticrete in the Spikers’ Turf Open Conference at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig on Friday.
The King Crunchers seized control in the third set with a blistering 7-0 run, turning an 8-10 deficit into a commanding 15-10 lead. Although the two-time runners-up faced a late surge from the Griffins, they maintained their composure.
Despite the retooled Griffins’ rally, which brought them to within 22-24, the King Crunchers held firm and wrapped up the match in one hour and 12 minutes.
The final point came when Jaron Requinto's power hit sailed out of bounds after striking the arms of Kenneth Culabat, sealing the victory for the Crunchers in the tournament organized by Sports Vision and supported by Arena Plus and Mikasa.
Requinto made the most of his spot start and finished with 15 points on 12 attacks and three kill blocks. He capped his sterling performance with five excellent receptions to claim Best Player of the Game honors.
He emphasized the importance of mental toughness, particularly in the crucial moments of the game, as a key factor in their potential breakthrough.
This is especially significant after the team’s two losses to the Cignal HD Spikers in last year’s Open and Invitational conferences.
Requinto, the former UST beach volleyball standout, stepped into the starting rotation in place of Nico Almendras, who recently tied the knot with his long-time partner Justine Pesigan.
“I’m happy with the team’s performance, despite the sudden changes,” said Requinto in Filipino. “We were still able to come together as a team, and everyone performed well on the court even without Nico (Almendras).”
He added: “So, my substitution for him went well. The first six players gelled together, and I think that’s why the result turned out that way.”
Reigning MVP Jude Garcia also delivered a stellar performance for Criss Cross, scoring 13 points, 10 from attacks, three from blocks, and contributing four excellent receptions. Francis Saura added 10 markers and five excellent digs.
Ish Polvorosa orchestrated the offense with 14 excellent sets for the King Crunchers, who will look to start 2-0 when they face the Alpha Insurance Protectors tomorrow (Sunday) at 6 p.m. at Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
VNS, which bolstered its roster with the additions of Jayvee Sumagaysay, Rash Nursiddik, and Bryan Jaleco during the offseason, struggled early and couldn’t maintain its momentum in the third set.
Culabat led the Griffins with eight points, while CJ Segui was limited to just seven markers despite contributing 12 excellent receptions in the loss.
The victory placed Criss Cross alongside Savouge and Cignal, which earlier secured straight-set wins over PGJC Navy and Alpha Insurance, respectively. With all three squads opening their campaigns in dominant fashion, they now share the early lead in the season-opening tournament of the country's premier men's volley league.
