Cignal foils Capital1, enters semis

MANILA, Philippines — Cignal survived Russian destroyer Marina Tushova’s record-breaking performance as it turned back a stubborn Capital1 Solar, 25-19, 36-34, 16-25, 22-25, 15-12, last night and claimed the first semifinal slot in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.

The HD Spikers drew strength from their rock-solid blocking and Venezuelan MJ Perez’ superb marksmanship as they held off Tushova in the most crucial of times and fended off the Solar Spikers’ upset try.

Tushova went nuclear again and unleashed a magnificent 50-point performance that shattered the league standard of 49 she herself set in the elimination round.

But Cignal shut Tushova down in time with Jacqueline Acuña blocking her that sealed the deal.

Perez ended up having the last laugh also as she unloaded 34 hits, including critical ones when the HD Spikers needed them most.

Riri Meneses came through with her best effort after a long while and scattered 21 points, including a match-best seven of Cignal’s whopping 16 blocks.

The win sent Cignal straight to the semis where it will clash with the winner between Creamline and two-time Reinforced Conference titlist Petro Gazz on Thursday in another knockout affair at the same venue.

It was a heartbreaking defeat for the Milka and Mandy Romero-owned franchise, which was hoping to extend its fairy tale run after a forgettable one-win effort in their debut conference early this year.

At least though the Solar Spikers showed they could hang with the big guns and earned what they originally set out for – respect.

Capital1 could have changed the complexion of the match if they managed to win the 46-minute second set where they had so many chances to knot the count at one apiece.

Instead, it was Cignal that took a two-set cushion that proved enough to weather Capital1’s furious fightback in the next two sets en route to a 9-8 lead in the fifth on a Jorelle Singh’s zinging kill.

But it proved to be the Solar Spikers’ last show of force as the HD Spikers took charge and rode on the shoulders of Perez and the team’s league-best blocking.