CIGNAL compounde on Capital1's woes following a 25-12, 25-15, 25-17 sweep in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference on Thursday at the Philsports Arena.
The HD Spikers axed a two-game slump by stretching the Solar Spikers’ skid to five. This also marks Capital1’s eighth loss in nine matches this conference.
Sister teams Cignal and PLDT now share identical 6-3 records, third-best in the league to date.
Judith Abil boosted Cignal’s bid in the home stretch of the seeding race with 13 points on 10 attacks, two aces and one block.
Cignal outpaced Capital1 with 20 more attacks converted (44) on top of a game-high nine blocks and six aces to round out an efficient all-around team game.
In-form Ishie Lalongisip's dream run of form continues, matching Abil's game-high 13-piece, while leading team scorer Vanie Gandler played a steady two-way game with seven points, seven digs and nine receptions.
The skidding Solar Spikers had no answers to the reigning bronze medalists as newcomer Trisha Genesis and rookie Leila Cruz posted meager six-point outputs each.
'Ishie' does it
Lalongisip, 23, heeded Cignal's call for the next woman up in light of ace spiker and team captain Ces Molina's shock exit from the squad in January.
Safe to say, she's stood her ground in a team full of veterans as she continues to carve her path atop the pecking order of the PVL's inaugural rookie class.
Such a pressure of having big shoes to fill whatsoever isn't anywhere near Lalongisip's mind as a depleted Cignal's title chase continues.
"Nagkaroon ako ng playing time so mas na-maximize ko rin kung anong meron ako," the Cignal rookie said.
"'Yung pressure, lagi namang nandyan. Ine-entertain ko lang din siya as positive."
And the best part about it is that she's only just begun.
"Before ako mapunta sa position na 'to, parang nilo-look back ko rin kung ano 'yung pinagtrabahuan ko nu'ng past. Ngayong nandito na ako, mas grateful ako kasi dumating ako kasi alam ko sa sarili ko na hindi ako titigil magtrabaho kasi nagsisimula pa lang ako at mahaba pa 'yung journey ko."
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