Ferocious Molina powers Cignal past Foton

Games Thursday
(PhilSports Arena)

9:30 a.m. – Gerflor vs Chery Tiggo
12 p.m. – F2 vs Petro Gazz
4 p.m. – Creamline vs PLDT
6:30 p.m. – Farm Fresh vs Cignal

MANILA, Philippines – Cignal spiker Ces Molina came into their duel with Foton with a killer instinct of a predator and a mindset of winning all their remaining group stage games in the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference.

It resulted to one of her best games of the conference.

Powered by Molina’s ferocious performance, the HD Spikers dissipated the Foton Tornadoes, 25-10, 25-16, 25-22, at the PhilSports Arena Tuesday to breathe life to their semifinal hopes.

The 28-year-old Southeast Asian Games veteran wound up leading all hitters with 16 points in a quick straight-set triumph, including 15 off attacks that gave Cignal its second win in three starts.

They would need to hurdle Farm Fresh Thursday and Choco Mucho next week in their last two Pool B assignments for a chance to claim one of the two spots next round in their bracket.

“We really needed this win, actually we should win all our games,” said Molina, who got help from Jovelyn Gonzaga’s 14 hits and Roselyn Doria’s 10 points.

In the other morning Pool B game earlier, Petro Gazz likewise stayed in the hunt after repulsing a pesky Farm Fresh, 25-21, 31-29, 25-17, for the former’s second win against a loss.

Grethcel Soltones continued to show MVP form and drilled in 16 points while Aiza Pontillas scattered 15 hits as the Angels’ overcame an error-prone performance that saw them committing a near-catastrophic 21 errors.

“We were too eager and wanted to win right away that we lost our timing,” said Petro Gazz coach Oliver Almadro. “But I’m happy with our overall performance and this victory.”

Foton and Farm Fresh both fell to their third straight defeat and out of semis contention in the league organized by Sports Vision and backed by BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, Mikasa, SMART, Rebisco, Kumu, Asics and SportRadar.

The Foxies, whose roster is composed mainly of the same St. Benilde team that swept its way to the NCAA crown its last two seasons, almost snatched their first set victory after roaring to a 19-15 lead in the second set and three set points, the last at 29-28.

It wasn’t meant to be though as the Angels threw the defensive gauntlet at the Foxies to reclaim the second set and eventually the match.