Perez powers Cignal past Choco Mucho

Venezuelan import MJ Perez reintroduced herself to local fans with a stellar outing in Cignal’s straight-sets crushing of Choco Mucho, 25-18, 25-21, 25-16, in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference Thursday night at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Perez returned with a bang five years after her last Philippines stint, dropping 22 points to lead the HD Spikers into the win column in Pool B joining defending champion Petro Gazz and Akari.

Cignal dominated the Flying Titans all over the stats sheet despite missing the services of winger Vanie Gandler and libero Dawn Macandili-Catindig due to their Alas Pilipinas commitment.   

Perez, who last played for the disbanded F2 Logistics in the defunct Philippine Superliga in 2019, hammered 19 of the HD Spikers’ 42 kills and landed two aces while Ces Molina and Toni Basas added eight markers.  

Rose Doria accounted for four of Cignal’s nine kill blocks to finish with six markers while Judith Abil embraced her new role as libero putting up 15 digs and eight excellent receptions in her debut.

“You can see in our faces how happy we are. I think all our efforts and hard work in training paid off. Most of the time our performance goes up and down but I’m so proud the team went all out in our game and raised our level of play,” a very satisfied HD Spikers head coach Shaq Delos Santos said.

Choco Mucho sorely missed the services of Alas Pilipinas members former Most Valuable Player Sisi Rondina and Cherry Nunag as HD Spikers spoiled the Flying Titans debut of veteran Dindin Santiago-Manabat.

Manabat had a quiet eight points while Greek import Zoi Faki was the lone Choco Mucho player in double figures with 13 markers.

Meanwhile, the Chargers defeated Capital1, 25-18, 27-25, 22-25, 25-14, behind the 20-point debut of newly acquired hitter Ivy Lacsina.

Lacsina, who along with head coach Taka Minowa, setter Kamille Cal and libero Dani Ravena transferred to Akari from sister team Nxled, got all her production from kills. American import Oluoma Okaro finished with 16 points.

The Solar Spikers got 20 points from Russian Marina Tushova while second overall draft pick Leila Cruz, Des Clemente and setter Iris Tolenada added seven markers in a losing effort.