MANILA – D’Navigators-Iloilo hacked out a 25-19, 25-22, 25-23 straight set stunner over AMC-Cotabato Spikers to open the 2023 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference semifinals round on Wednesday night at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Jade Disquitado spearheaded the offense with 19 points, on 19 attacks, while Mfena Gwaza chipped in 11 points, on four attacks, four aces, and three blocks, for the Iloilo City-based spikers.
Deanne Neil De Pedro added 11 points on nine attacks, an ace, and a block to go along with 10 excellent receptions while Rash Nursiddik chipped in nine markers highlighted by four blocks.
With the D’Navigators-Iloilo a set away from securing the sweep, Jau Umandal committed a costly attack error that broke a 23-all deadlock and pushed Iloilo at match point. Rash Nursiddik then blocked Steven Trotter for the win.
D’Navigators-Iloilo head coach John Kenneth Panes said they were able to make some adjustments following their elimination round defeat to the same Cotabato team over the weekend.
“Ito kasi back to zero na ‘to e. Semis na so talagang pinag-ensayuhan namin ‘to, nag-prepare talaga kami sa game na ‘to saka siguro para sa amin din talaga ‘tong game na ‘to, binigay talaga siguro ni Lord sa amin,” said Panes.
“Sabi ko sa kanila mag-trabaho lang sila nang maayos. Dapat nandoon pa rin yung team work, yung discipline saka yung respect sa isa’t isa sabi ko makukuha namin ‘to kasi alam namin yung skills, nandiyan tayo e,” he added.
Umandal was the lone double-digit scorer for the Cotabato Spikers with a team-high 11 points to go along with four excellent digs. Lloyd Josafat added six markers while Madz Gampong had five points.
D’Navigators-Iloilo (1-0) will go up against the unbeaten Cignal HD Spikers at the resumption of the semifinals round on Friday, while Cotabato (0-1) eyes bounce back against Imus-Ivy Tuason Photography.
The HD Spikers had earlier drawn first blood in the single-round robin semifinals with a 25-23, 25-19, 25-15 sweep of Imus with Marck Espejo spearheading the offense with 19 points./PN
