KINGWHALE TAIPEI is staking its claim on the 2022 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference title with a four-set win over Cignal, 25-18, 15-25, 25-21, 25-22 on Saturday at FilOil EcoOil Centre.
Kingwhale Taipei vs Cignal recap
The Taiwanese club swept all local club teams in the semifinals as they ended the playoffs with a perfect 4-0 record.
First-time starter Germina Jacobs led the charge with 19 points and 16 digs, while Beatriz Flavio de Carvalho and Chang Chih Hsuan added nine markers each.
"At first, I was very nervous, since this is my first time being on the field. But, there was an adjustment. In the end, I think that my team helped me play well," Jacobs said through a translator.
After a lopsided second set that equalized the match at one all, KingWhale displayed its resiliency as they mounted an 8-1 run to overturn a 11-16 deficit to a 19-17 lead.
The HD Spikers fought nip-and-tuck to trim a two point deficit and tie the match at 21-all, but a 5-0 run led by Jacobs and Chen Chieh - who finished with eight points and 14 digs - completed KingWhale’s third set comeback for a two-set to one lead.
“It's fine if they lost the second set because the main purpose of today was to let the younger members take part in order to see what they can do," said head coach Teng Yen-Min.
KingWhale capitalized an error-plagued HD Spikers who committed 11 errors against the Taiwanese' five in the fourth set, with Tsai Qin Yao ending the match off a quick to finish with five points.
Three HD Spikers breached the twin digit scoring led by Angeli Araneta's 15 points and 17 digs, while Roselyn Doria and Jerrili Malaban chipped in 13 points each in a losing effort.
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