IT’S Creamline versus Cignal for gold as the latter dethroned reigning champion Kurashiki Ablaze in five sets, 25-23, 19-25, 25-23, 22-25, 15-11, in the 2024 PVL Invitational Conference on Wednesday at the Philsports Arena.
Cignal, the league’s most decorated bronze medalists with five in the last three years, are off to only their second finals appearance after a runner-up finish to Petro Gazz in the 2022 Reinforced Conference.
And their sophomore stint in the grand stage will require the HD Spikers to complete a tall order: deny Creamline’s Grand Slam bid come Thursday’s winner-take-all championship game.
Meanwhile, Kurashiki looks to salvage bronze and make it back-to-back Invitational Conference podiums against Thailand’s EST Cola.
Ready for revenge, the second time around
In a span of just two weeks, Cignal suffered back-to-back losses to Creamline — one it’ll look to make amends for in the stage that matters most and when the stakes are at their highest.
Even with just less than 24 hours to prepare, MJ Perez, who had a staggering double-double of 36 points and 21 receptions over Ablaze, couldn’t be more eager to get their hands on the Cool Smashers one more time.
“It’s a huge opportunity now that we have a second chance to face Creamline. We are excited for tomorrow, of course. It has been hard but we are here and we worked hard to be here so we will fight for it,” said Perez.
Being the seasoned libero that she is, Dawn Macandili-Catindig is raring for a ‘chance to fight’ for championship glory again, even if it’ll take denying Creamline’s Grand Slam bid to reach the PVL mountaintop for the very first time.
“Dahil nga nandito na kami, we have a chance to fight with Cignal in this conference, talagang iga-grab na namin 'yung opportunity. 'Di namin bibitawan 'to,” said the Cignal libero.
“'Yung gigil ko kanina, naipon kasi alam mo 'yung 'pag nanonood ka ng game from the outside, ta's hindi ka makalaro, hindi ka maka-contribute, parang ngayon ko binubuhos lahat 'yon, 'yung gigil ko. And thankfully, nag-result nang maganda.”
A four-time Philippine Superliga (PSL) champion with Petron, Shaq delos Santos hopes to replicate his past glory days and orchestrate what could be his first career coaching title in the pros with Cignal.
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