Undeterred by an early surge from the young and dynamic DN Steel FEU side, the Cignal HD Spikers mounted a fierce comeback to secure a 25-27, 25-21, 25-20, 25-20 victory and advance to the semifinals of the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference at the Ynares Sports Center late Sunday.
Cignal’s win not only clinched the HD Spikers the second semifinal slot with a 7-1 record, tying DN Steel FEU at the helm, but also left the fight for the remaining two berths wide open among Criss Cross, Savouge, EcoOil La Salle and PGJC Navy.
But with a 6-1 record, the King Crunchers are in prime position, further boosted by a favorable matchup against the winless Chichi DHTSI Titans on Wednesday.
“We had a slow start. Our mindset going into this game is that we can win it so it took some time for my players to get their rhythm, which should never be the case,” Cignal head coach Dexter Clamor said.
“It’s good that our second stringers performed. Sometimes, they had very limited minutes but they make sure to make the most out of it. That’s the good thing about this team: Our second stringers are also playing like our first six.”
Former FEU standout Mark Calado teamed up with Louie Ramirez to deliver in the pivotal fourth set, spearheading the HD Spikers’ remarkable comeback from a 10-13 deficit in a tense and tightly contested battle.
The set was marked by a thrilling exchange of sideouts midway through, until the HD Spikers seized control at 22-19, courtesy of a crucial Lloyd Josafat-Calado block on Mikko Espartero.
A service ace from Cignal and an FEU service error following a Jelord Talisayan off-the-block hit brought Cignal to match point. The HD Spikers sealed the victory with a decisive Wendell Miguel kill at center, capitalizing on an FEU overpass.
Calado earned top honors for his stellar performance and emphasized the significance of the win in their campaign for another championship.