MANILA – Cignal HD Spikers survived end set rallies by sister team Smart-Army Giga Hitters to score a 25-10, 26-24, 25-18 win in the Philippine Superliga Invitational Conference at the Strike Gym in Bacoor, Cavite.
Rachel Anne Daquis led the way with 13 points built on seven spikes, four blocks and a pair of service aces.
With the win on Thursday night, the HD Spikers became two wins away from gaining an outright semifinals seat.
“As I’ve I said before, you’ll see a different Daquis. She is really confident in everything that she does,” said HD Spikers head coach Edgar Barroga. “And I told her this (Army) was her former team, they will target you so we practiced her reception.”
Mylene Paat added 12 markers built on seven kills, four blocks and a service ace while Rapril Aguilar and Janine Navarro added five points apiece for the defending champions (1-1).
After a 15-point rout in the first set, the HD Spikers struggled in the second set as it squandered a 17-12 spread as the Giga Hitters rallied back to tie it to 20-all off an ace from Alina Bicar.
But Aguilar came to the rescue scoring back-to-back hits for a 23-20 cushion before Paat their team at set point, 24-22. After the Giga Hitters tied the count at 24-all, Aguilar surged her team ahead before Smart committed an error to close the set.
Ilongga Nerissa Bautista and Mary Dominique Pacres delivered six points apiece to lead the way for the Giga Hitters, which absorbed their first defeat after two matches in Pool B.
Meanwhile, Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors bounced back from opening day defeat as it edged Cocolife Asset Managers, 25-20, 25-22, 22-25, 25-19. Marjana Philips finished with 22 points for the Lady Realtors./PN
