Cignal, Criss Cross seek finals rematch

Cignal and Criss Cross aim to forge a finals rematch when they tackle separate foes in the semifinals of the Spikers’ Turf Open Conference today at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

After securing convincing victories in their first semis matches, the King Crunchers and HD Spikers need just one more win over VNS-Laticrete and Savouge, respectively, to advance to their third straight finals appearance.

Coming off a dominant 25-13, 25-16, 25-15 sweep of VNS, Cignal faces a tougher challenge in Savouge, a team eager to rebound after a shutout loss to the King Crunchers. Savouge showed resilience in the double-round eliminations, dragging Criss Cross to two grueling five-setters.

“I know they’re feeling down after losing in straight sets to Criss Cross, but for us, we’re coming into this game with great confidence. I hope we can maintain our morale and carry that momentum from the very start,” Cignal head coach Dexter Clamor said in Filipino.

Clamor has been rotating his roster throughout the tournament but stuck with his core trio — Steven Rotter, Louie Ramirez, and Wendel Miguel — against the Griffins. He is expected to do the same in this crucial match against Savouge.

“The good thing is we get to rest before facing Savouge. We’ve had back-to-back training and matches, so we’ll take a break, then train on Tuesday to prepare,” he added.

The Spin Doctors, who face Cignal in the 6 p.m. match, will rely heavily on their trio of Mark Calado, Shawie Caritativo and Madz Gampong to keep their finals hopes alive. After struggling to close out crucial sets against top-tier teams, they must find a way to maintain composure in high-pressure situations.

In their last encounter on 12 March, Savouge took a 2-1 set lead against Cignal before the HD Spikers leaned on their experience to stage a comeback and secure a five-set victory. This time, Savouge will be hungry to finish the job and force a decider.

Meanwhile, the King Crunchers will attempt to reaffirm their dominance over VNS in their 3:30 p.m. clash. With a 12-game winning streak on the line, Criss Cross is determined to keep its perfect record intact.