Chery Tiggo clinches PVL second seed in non-bearing Choco Mucho rout

The Chery Tiggo Crossovers ended their 2021 Premier Volleyball League Open Conference elimination round on a high note with a quick sweep, 25-20, 25-9, 25-22, of their semifinals opponent Choco Mucho Flying Titans on Saturday, August 7.

With the win, the Crossovers seized the Titans’ second seed as they finished with identical 7-2 records. This changes nothing in the semifinals, however, as both are already set in the No. 2 vs No. 3 series starting on Sunday, August 8.

Mylene Paat led the blitz with 11 points off 9 attacks, and 2 blocks, while Jaja Santiago chipped in 10 markers in just two sets played.

With this game reduced to a battle for pride due to the playoff seeding circumstances, both coaches freely shuffled their players to save their starters for the grueling daily semis schedule.

Chery Tiggo coach Aaron Velez opted to go full power in the first and second sets with the Santiago sisters, Paat, Maika Ortiz, and Shaya Adorador, which led to the 25-9 blowout in the latter frame.

Meanwhile, Choco Mucho coach Oliver Almadro benched Bea de Leon, Maddie Madayag, and Deanna Wong after the first-set loss, and briefly played Kat Tolentino and Ponggay Gaston in the second before emptying his bench like Velez in the third.

Regine Arocha, who reportedly suffered from cramps near the end of the Titans’ last game, never stepped on the court at all.

Caitlyn Viray topscored for the Titans in the loss with 10 points, while Tolentino tallied all her 6 markers in the 9-point second set. Counting both teams, Kim Gequillana was the only player who played in all three sets, and finished with 12 excellent digs, and 3 points.

Chery Tiggo and Choco Mucho will return to battle with their usual rotations on Sunday, 5 pm, while the top-ranked defending champion Creamline Cool Smashers kick off the double-header day against the fourth-seeded Petro Gazz Angels at 2 pm.

BaliPure, Army wrap up with a win

In the first game of the triple-header, the BaliPure Water Defenders snapped their five-game losing streak with a four-set slog, 24-26, 25-20, 25-17, 26-24, against the Perlas Spikers.

With the win, BaliPure ended their conference run with a 3-6 record in eighth place, while Perlas, who got rocked with a COVID-related holdout, bottomed out at 1-8.

Graze Bombita led the Water Defenders anew in scoring with 19 points off 14 attacks, and 5 aces, while Bern Flora and Sati Espiritu chipped in 13 and 12 markers, respectively.

Sue Roces paced the Spikers in the loss with 13 points, all off attacks, while Gel Cayuna added 34 excellent sets, and 10 excellent digs.

Finally, the Black Mamba Army Lady Troopers put the Cignal HD Spikers out of their misery with a four-set win, 25-14, 17-25, 25-19, 25-19, to end the elimination round.

With the win, the Lady Troopers took solo sixth place in the standings with a 4-5 record, while the HD Spikers absorbed their seventh straight loss and crashed down with Perlas at 1-8.

Jovelyn Gonzaga led the Army’s last stand for pride with 14 points, and 19 excellent digs, while Royse Tubino added 12 markers off 11 attacks.

Rachel Anne Daquis returned to Cignal’s lineup, and immediately led the losing effort with 13 points off 10 attacks, 2 aces, and a block, while Ayel Estranero recorded 29 excellent sets, and 21 excellent digs.