Games on 18 January:
(Philsports Arena)
1:30 p.m. — Farm Fresh vs Nxled
4 p.m. — ZUS Coffee vs Choco Mucho
6:30 p.m. — Akari vs PLDT
Chery Tiggo averted disaster after rallying from a 1-2 match deficit to beat feisty Galeries Tower, 30-28, 20-25, 19-25, 25-16, 15-8, in the last playdate for the year of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference Saturday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Cess Robles stepped up to carry the Crossovers back into the win column for a 4-2 win-loss record as the league takes a long holiday break.
The wing spiker finished with 21 points anchored on 20 kills including the last two points of the match that lasted two hours and 40 minutes. Robles added nine digs and tallied 11 excellent receptions for an all-around performance for the Crossovers.
Chery Tiggo carried the momentum of its strong fourth frame showing to erect an 8-4 advantage in the decider. Shaya Adorador extended the Crossovers gap to 12-5.
Robles sent Cherty Tiggo at match point before Jho Maraguinot saved one for the Galeries Tower. Robles answered with the final nail in the coffin of the Highrisers.
“This win is the fruit of our collective effort as a team. In the first three sets, we really struggled and were sluggish. But we’re able to unleash our real game in the fourth set,” Robles said.
“Again, it’s a complete team effort from us and everybody really wanted to get this win.”
Skipper Aby Maraño finished with 15 points, Pauline Gaston scored 13 of her 14 markers from attacks while Adorador and Ara Galang added 13 and 11 points, respectively, for the Crossovers.
Chery Tiggo recovered from a third set meltdown that saw the squad squander a five-point lead as the Highrisers ignited a 9-0 blitz to get in front and eventually steal the set.
The Crossovers restored order in the fourth frame before cruising in the decider to deny upset-conscious Galeries Tower a second straight win.
The Highrisers slid to a 1-4 mark tied with Capital1.
France Ronquillo paced Galeries Tower with 18 points including 17 from attacks while Jewel Encarnacion had 16 markers, 11 excellent receptions and seven digs.
Ysa Jimenez chipped in 15 points and Andrea Marzan added nine in a lost cause.
