Operating in the same relentless gear that has defined his rise in the league, Jude Garcia once again served as the engine that powered Criss Cross to another perfect elimination round campaign.

Up against scrappy, determined young teams desperate for victories, Garcia stood tall and powered the resilient King Crunchers to three consecutive hard-fought wins that punctuated their sweep of the 2025 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference elimination round.

The three-time league Most Valuable Player’s impact was undeniable across Criss Cross’ three crucial matches this week, as he averaged 21.7 points and 7.0 digs while helping eliminate two squads from the semis race.

Garcia scored 24 points and added nine impressive digs in a thrilling five-setter, 22-25, 25-21, 25-16, 21-25, 17-15, that eliminated his alma mater, Far Eastern University-DN Steel, from semifinals contention last Wednesday.

The 27-year-old outside hitter then poured in 19 points and six digs as the King Crunchers rolled to a 25-22, 25-15, 25-21 victory, pushing University of Santo Tomas (UST)-Gameville into a precarious and dangerous position in the standings.

He capped off a stellar week with 22 points and eight digs in a hard-fought 21-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-20 triumph that firmly shut the door on Alpha Insurance’s semifinals hopes.

For his consistent performance throughout the week, Garcia was hailed as the first Spikers’ Turf Press Corps Player of the Week for the period of 12 to 16 November.

Riding the high of their second straight flawless elimination round, the 5-foot-11 heavy hitter said the team is determined to carry their momentum into the semifinals, with their sights firmly set on capturing the championship.

“We really wanted to achieve our goal this season. And this is a stepping stone towards that goal,” Garcia said.

“We didn’t get the 7-0 easily. We really worked hard for that. We will carry that momentum until we research out semifinals and, hopefully, the finals.”

Garcia bested teammates Noel Kampton and Adrian Villados, as well as UST-Gameville’s Edriel Alabar and Cignal’s Louie Ramirez for the weekly honor, which is decided by print and online reporters covering the pioneering men’s volleyball league.

The Garcia-led King Crunchers will look to carry their unbeaten streak into the round-robin semifinals, which will feature guest squads Kindai University of Japan and ProVolley Academy of Australia.