CIGNAL drew first blood in the 2022 Premier Volleyball League Open Conference semifinals with a masterful straight-sets win over PetroGazz, 25-21, 25-23, 25-23, Friday at Filoil Flying V Centre.
Cignal vs PetroGazz Game 1 recap
Angeli Araneta scored the crucial back-to-back hits as the HD Spikers rallied from a 23-21 deficit and silenced the Angels late in set three to take the first of the best-of-three series.
Ria Meneses powered Cignal with 14 points off 11 attacks and three blocks to lead the charge for the HD Spikers.
Rachel Anne Daquis also made key hits for her team with 11 markers, as Ces Molina and Roselyn Doria both got 10 in the victory.
"Sobrang proud. Nakakatuwa yung team namin kasi syempre grabe yung game namin kanina at ine-expect namin talaga namin na talagang pukpukan yung laban. Thank you kay Lord kasi binigay sa amin yung panalo," said coach Shaq delos Santos.
The furious fightback, however, really shouldn't come as a surprise as it was from this same come-from-behind fashion that Cignal took the two-set lead.
The HD Spikers strung five straight points to shock the Angels in set one, 25-21, before they clawed their way back from a 22-19 hole to steal the second set, 25-23.
Aiza Maizo-Pontillas carried PetroGazz on her back with 14 points, as Grethcel Soltones had 11 in the loss.
Game Two is on Sunday, still at the same venue.
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