Cignal nears Spikers’ Turf playoffs with 7th straight sweep; VNS stuns Imus in 5

MANILA, Philippines – The Cignal HD Spikers continue their unimpeded barrage to the 2023 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference playoffs with their seventh straight sweep, this time against the Vanguard Volley Hitters, 25-16, 25-18, 26-24, at the Paco Arena on Sunday, February 26.

Marck Espejo led the easy win anew with 11 points off 8 attacks and 3 aces, while team captain Ysay Marasigan added 10 points as Cignal rose to 7-0 for the conference.

No Vanguard player breached double-digit scoring as Vince Abrot led the way with 6 points on their way to their sixth straight loss for a 1-6 card.

Meanwhile, the second game of the double-header took much longer as the VNS Griffins stunned the Imus Spikers in a five-set marathon, 12-25, 25-20, 25-21, 11-25, 15-13, to rise to a winning record at 4-3.

Jeremy Pedrosa and Philip Bagalay scored 17 apiece in the momentum-boosting win, with the latter adding 24 excellent receptions to his line.

Four Imus players scored in double figures, with Kim Malabunga seeing his game-high 22-point outing go down the drain in a heartbreaker. Hero Austria and Francis Saura scored 13 and 12, respectively, in the loss that sent Imus down a 5-2 slate.

Cignal has its sights set next on the returning Cotabato Spikers on Sunday, March 5, 3 pm, while Vanguard takes on fellow cellar-dweller Air Force Jet Spikers at 5:30 pm.

Imus will also face Cotabato on Friday, March 3, 3 pm, while VNS will take a two-week break before taking on the Santa Rosa City Lions on Sunday, March 12, 12:30 pm. – Rappler.com