Cignal stays unbeaten in 4-setter over Choco Mucho; ZUS Coffee notches 1st win streak

MANILA, Philippines – The Cignal HD Spikers stayed unscathed to start the lengthy 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference in convincing fashion, following a 25-18, 25-18, 20-25, 25-22 conquest of contender Choco Mucho Flying Titans at the PhilSports Arena on Thursday, November 28.

Three-time Best Setter Gel Cayuna followed up a 9-point outburst last game with an 11-point eruption against the Flying Titans to go with her usual playmaking numbers of 16 excellent sets, as Cignal tied sister team PLDT with identical 3-0 records atop the standings.

Rising blocker Jackie Acuña led the team with 14 points and former MVP Ces Molina scored 13, while star defender Riri Meneses and Alas Pilipinas prospect Vanie Gandler added 10 points apiece — the latter also chipping in 14 excellent digs.

Coming off a third-set meltdown that saw Choco Mucho survive off a 5-0 blitz from a 20-all tie, Cignal recovered well in the fourth, staying toe-to-toe with an 11-all deadlock before breaking away with a crucial 4-1 spurt, ending with an Acuña block on Sisi Rondina for the 16-12 separation.

Though the Flying Titans recovered anew for the 18-all tie, their own errors and defensive miscues spelled their own doom as a Royse Tubino attack error capped a 5-1 Cignal swing — three coming off errors — for the 23-19 gap.

As if to drive the team’s next point of improvement home, Dindin Manabat also gifted the final point to the HD Spikers with a wide-out attack to seal the deal.

Former MVP Rondina topscored in the loss with 24 points, backstopped by 15 from Tubino and 11 from Manabat as Choco Mucho skidded down to eighth place with a 2-2 slate.

ZUS Coffee brews winning culture, wins 2 straight after 20-game skid

Meanwhile, the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles sparked a long-sought winning fire with their second straight win at the expense of the hapless Galeries Tower Highrisers — their first winning streak after losing 20 straight since their inclusion in the PVL.

Veterans Chinnie Arroyo and Chai Troncoso led the winning charge up a 2-1 record in joint fourth with 14 and 11 points, respectively, while top overall pick Thea Gagate scored 9 with 3 blocks.

France Ronquillo and Roselle Baliton paced the sorry loss down a 0-4 slate with 12 points apiece, while Julia Coronel tallied 8 excellent sets in her first matchup with Gagate, her former La Salle champion teammate and fellow Alas Pilipinas prospect. – Rappler.com