PVL: Chery Tiggo gets semifinals spot with tough win over Galeries

MANILA, Philippines–Chery Tiggo notched its seventh consecutive win in the PVL All-Filipino Conference and along with it a ticket to the semifinals.

The Crossovers survived the gallant stand of Galeries Tower, 26-24, 23-25, 19-25, 25-12, 15-9, on Thursday at PhilSports Arena with Eya Laure leading for her squad with 20 points built on 15 attacks and 5 blocks.

“Mapapa-thank you Lord ka na lang sa game kasi nga anybody’s game. Kami nag-habol. At least sa dulo tumama yung adjustment namin,” coach KungFu Reyes said. “Luckily, may nag-step up. Unstable yung galaw ng wing spikers namin. Yung respeto na binigay namin sa Galeries, talagang binigay namin. Talagang nag-prepare kami para rito.”

SCHEDULE: PVL All-Filipino Conference 2024

Ara Galang stood by Laure with 13 points of her own, 12 coming from attacks, as Alina Bicar helped Chery Tiggo’s offense hum like a well-oiled machine with 16 excellent sets.

Libero Jennifer Nierva provided her defense with 11 excellent digs like Laure who also had 18 excellent receptions.

“It was actually a challenge that we have to really overcome together kasi may mga games talaga na parang we’re not there eh. But we have to be there and present and fight anyway. Diba?” Crossovers captain Aby Maraño said.

As Chery Tiggo qualified for the semifinals and rose to the No. 2 spot behind top seed Petro Gazz, PLDT’s chance of entering the Final Four vanished even before it battled defending champion Creamline in the nightcap.

“I keep telling my teammates to just take this as a challenge, keep the mental toughness, yung fight dapat nandon and at the same time, kailangan hindi talaga kami mawalan ng tiwala sa sarili namin, sa isa’t isa,” Maraño added.

The Highrisers showed what they’re made of from the get-go but Laure refused to give Galeries Tower a head start and punched in three consecutive points to help the Crossovers claim the opening set.

READ: PVL: Chery Tiggo stays on right path to semis

Chery Tiggo, however, played without rhythm which the eliminated Highrisers took advantage of for a 2-1 set lead.

But with a lot on the line, Chery Tiggo found the right adjustments down the stretch to counter the surprise prepared by Galeries Tower.

Cza Carandang, who finished with seven points like Maraño and Cess Robles, put up one of her pair of blocks on Ysa Jimenez to give Chery Tiggo a five-point lead in the final frame.

Carandang then unleashed back-to-back quick attacks to point the Crossovers to the right path, 13-6, as Andrea Marzan committed a crucial net error to put Chery Tiggo at match point.

Marzan made up for it by blocking Carandang in the next play as Shola Alvarez, who put up eight points, targeted Laure for a down the line hit and the anticlimactic service error to wrap up the match.

“Hindi naging maganda talaga yung performance namin. We’re not really actually satisfied with how we played today but still at the end of the day, we’re grateful na na-overcome namin yung challenge na yun and we are humbled by this kind of game,” Maraño said after Chery Tiggo let up 36 errors.

France Ronquillo paced Galeries Tower in its final game this conference with 15 points, Marzan 11 points and Norielle Ipac 10 as the Highrisers dropped to a 3-8 standing.