Savouge continued its unbeaten run in the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference, overpowering Chichi DHTSI with a commanding 25-13, 25-13, 25-14 victory at Philsports Arena in Pasig on Wednesday.
The Spin Doctors, who are now 4-0, will face off against fellow unbeaten team DN Steel Far Eastern U Ultras in a highly anticipated clash this Sunday.
Savouge head coach Sydney Calderon made strategic adjustments to the team’s rotation, effectively utilizing all available players in their dominant 64-minute win. She noted that the Spin Doctors' continued momentum stemmed from their confidence-boosting upset over the Cignal HD Spikers last Oct. 25.
“Malaking boost ng confidence sa amin ‘yun, hindi naman basta-basta ‘yung Cignal. Pero kagaya nga ng sabi ko sa team ko, tapos na ‘yung laban namin sa Cignal so different story na ito. We have to push forward pa,” said Calderon.
John Diwa led the Spin Doctors’ balanced offensive display, delivering 11 points through seven attacks, three blocks and an ace, while Renzel Antonio scored 10 points in just two sets.
Meanwhile, Marvin Romero, Hero Austria and Charlee Magpayo each contributed six points to round out Savouge's scoring in the victory.
From the start, Savouge asserted control with a fierce attacking game, racking up 14 points in the first set, nine more than the Titans. They also delivered a clean performance in blocks and aces in the first two sets with five and six, respectively.
The Spin Doctors’ dominance was evident despite some unforced errors, as they built large leads early on and maintained control throughout.
Austria’s powerful serves and stinging attacks were crucial in extending Savouge’s lead, especially in the second set, where the Titans managed to close the gap momentarily at 6-7. However, the Spin Doctors quickly regained their momentum, pulling ahead 14-8 and later 19-9 as Chichi struggled with reception errors.
The win boosts Savouge's confidence heading into Sunday's 2 p.m. showdown against the Ultras at the Ynares Sports Center.
“We focused on overloading the middle, and it paid off,” said playmaker JC Narciso in Filipino, who produced 17 excellent sets and added five excellent digs and two points. He also credited daily training for sharpening their skills, but he emphasized that their early success also comes from carefully studying each opponent and adhering to the team’s mantra of staying unique and establishing unpredictability.
In the third set, Savouge continued its relentless play, quickly establishing a dominant lead by doubling Chichi's output at 12-6 and 16-8. A powerful kill block brought the score to 20-9, firmly securing Savouge’s momentum.
Although the Titans managed to add two quick points, the Spin Doctors clinched five of the last nine points to seal the emphatic victory. The final moments saw a brief exchange of service faults, but it did little to detract from Savouge's commanding performance in the last frame.
The loss was Chichi’s sixth straight, sending the Titans to the brink of early elimination.
Matt Miguel led the team with six points while no other player breached the three-point mark. The Titans will take on the VNS Griffins on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
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