CIGNAL rallied from two sets down over College of St. Benilde, 23-25, 22-25, 25-22, 25-22, 15-10, to stay unbeaten en route to the 2024 PNVF Champions League finals.
The two-time NCAA women's volleyball champs seized the first two sets shortly before Cignal jammed Benilde's title hopes in an emphatic reverse sweep.
READ: Savi Davison talks PH volleyball, PLDT newbies, and facing Brooke Van Sickle
Chay Troncoso (15 points) scored five in the HD Spikers' 7-0 start to the fifth-set tiebreak, securing an all-PVL final in the preseason tilt against either Chery Tiggo or Petro Gazz.
"Sobrang thankful ako and nakaka-proud kasi again, grabe ulit ‘yung nilaro ng College of St. Benilde. Grabe ‘yung respect ko sa kanila, kami ng buong team. Alam namin talagang mga bata, aggressive, and sabi rin kanina, lahat na lang ng technique, tactics, kailangan naming gawin, gamitin para ma-beat sila," said Cignal head coach Shaq delos Santos.
"Maturity, experience-wise, lamang kami. Siguro 'yung momentum nung nakakuha kami ng 3rd set. Malaking bagay yun. I think napagod na rin yung CSB pero nilalaban nila. Again, yung tiwala ko lang lagi sa team na hindi ko pwede tanggalin 'yan. Never mawawala 'yan," he added.
Entering her first title game in her first tournament with Cignal, Dawn Macandili-Catindig is thrilled but remains focused on finishing the job in less than a day.
"Masaya kasi first league and nakaabot kami sa finals. I think this is a good sign na we're going up," Macandili-Catindig said.
"Bago ako sa team so 'di ko alam kung paano mababalik 'yung good energy sa team so tina-try ko din maging leader na kausapin 'yung team, kilalanin sila kung paano makakabalik. Naging okay na nabalik namin 'yung good energy sa side namin and eventually nakuha namin 'yung momentum," she added.
Meanwhile, the Lady Blazers, who won last year's edition of the PNVF tourney, have been relegated to the bronze medal game.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
