Cignal clinches semis seat in five-set thriller
Erika Santos shines in Cignal's five-set escape over Creamline to secure a semis seat in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
Photograph courtesy PVL
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Erika Santos shines in Cignal's five-set escape over Creamline to secure a semis seat in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
Photograph courtesy PVL
Cignal survived a fifth set scare from Creamline to pull off a cardiac, 25-21,24-26, 18-25, 25-22, 17-15, victory for a spot in the semifinals of the 2026 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Erika Santos and Vanie Gandler played clutch in the tightly contested final stretch of the deciding frame of the qualifying round to power the Super Spikers back in the round robin Final Four.
Santos finished with 26 points, 23 on kills, while Gandler scored five of her 22 markers in the fifth set and showcased her defensive prowess with 28 excellent receptions and 13 digs as Cignal avenged its five-set loss to the same rival to end the preliminary round.
Setter Gel Cayuna made true to her promise on the eve of the match to tally more than 30 excellent sets and double-digit scoring after dishing out 35 sets alongside 11 points for the Super Spikers.
“First of all, just grateful for the Lord for his guidance and for these three [Gel, Vanie, and Erika]. I just told them to just work hard and want this win. For how many times we face Creamline, I think this was our best game, especially heading into the semis,” Cignal head coach Shaq Delos Santos said.
Cignal’s hot start in the final frame put them comfortably in front, 8-4, but the crowd-darling Cool Smashers, behind team captain Alyssa Valdez, rallied to tie it at 10.
The Super Spikers reached match point, 14-12, only for Tots Carlos and a successful mid-rally block touch challenge tied it at 14. Gandler answered with an off the block kill before Valdez knotted it again, 15-all.
Cignal got the breaks of the game when Pangs Panaga overshot her serve and Valdez sent her attack out as confirmed by an unsuccessful block touch challenge by Creamline.
Despite the loss, the Cool Smashers still have a chance for a spot in the semis when they take on the winner between Akari and Choco Mucho in the final stage of the Play-in tournament on Tuesday.
Bernadeth Pons had 20 points while Valdez saw her triple-double of 18 markers, 20 excellent receptions and 19 digs go down the drain for Creamline.
Panaga had 14 points while Carlos and Bea de Leon added 12 and 11 markers, respectively.
