CIGNAL finally barged in to the win column after trampling on Akari, 25-23, 25-20, 25-14 in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on Tuesday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Team captain Rachel Daquis scored a game-high 11 points to lift the HD Spikers to their first win after opening the campaign with two losses.
The Power Chargers, who have yet to win a set this conference, remained at the bottom of the standings with a 0-3 card despite the 11-point performance from veteran offseason acquisition Dindin Santiago-Manabat.
"Nakaka-proud ang team dahil sa everyday na training namin, nakita namin 'yung progress and slowly bumabalik yung kumpyansa nila sa sarili," Cignal coach Shaq Delos Santos said of the 2022 PVL Reinforced Conference runner-ups.
"'Di naman ibig sabihin na okay na okay kami. Malayo pa, ang dami pa naming kailangan gawin pero hindi kami magi-stop hangga't 'di namin nare-reach yung goal namin," he added.
After a fiercely fought first two sets, the HD Spikers pulled away in the third frame and capitalized on the feeble defense of the Power Chargers.
Chin Basas sparked Cignal's 8-1 run mid set that widened the lead to as many as 11 points, 21-10 with three kills of her own to finish with six markers. A service error by Ezra Madrigal put the final touches to the win.
Santiago-Manabat remained the only bright spot for the Power Chargers, whose next best scorer was Janine Marciano with seven points.
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