Chery Tiggo showed up with a near-perfect blend of experience and youthful firepower, rallying from a set down to sweep the next three and carve out a hard-earned 20-25, 25-23, 25-12, 28-26 victory over a gritty Capital1 side in the PVL On Tour at the Ynares Center in Montalban, Rizal on Saturday.
The Crossovers rode the momentum of a third-set rout – highlighted by a dominant 11-1 finishing run that resulted in a 13-point blowout – to seize control of the match. But the Solar Spikers refused to go quietly, turning what looked like a cruise to the finish into a fourth-set thriller marked by fierce rallies, gutsy plays and nerve-wracking moments.
Capital1, reeling from back-to-back defeats in their Vigan, Ilocos Sur stint, clawed back from deficits and matched Chery Tiggo point-for-point in a tense fourth frame. They nearly forced a deciding set when Sydney Niego snapped a gripping exchange with a hammer of a hit, pushing the Solar Spikers to set point at 25-24.
But just when Capital1 seemed poised to extend the match, Chery Tiggo’s rookie Renee Lou Peñafiel stepped up under pressure, scoring off a block touch from Pia Abbu to tie it again. What followed was heartbreak for the Solar Spikers, who, overwhelmed by eagerness and pressure, committed three straight attack errors – by Trisha Genesis, Niego, and finally, Shola Alvarez’s wide hit – to hand the Crossovers the set – and the two-hour, three-minute match.
Still, Capital1’s dogged defense and relentless fighting spirit turned what could’ve been a routine finish into a dramatic ending, earning the crowd’s admiration even in defeat.
Amid the Crossovers’ celebration, one rookie stood tallest – Jyne Soreño. The lefty hitter out of La Salle announced her arrival with an eye-popping 15-point performance on 14 attacks and a block, more than making up for the absence of veteran wing Ara Galang and national libero Jen Nierva.
Despite a few miscues, Soreño proved she was the right fit for Chery Tiggo’s evolving system, providing the spark and swagger that helped power the team past their opening-day jitters.
“Nakakakaba sa simula, pero lumuwag bandang huli kasi sabi ng mga ate, sila na ang bahala sa pressure. Kami, focus lang,” said Soreño, who was named Best Player of the Game in her first PVL stint.
She was quick to deflect the praise, crediting her teammates: “Kung wala sila, di rin ako magiging Best Player of the Game.”
Soreño revealed that the team never lost belief, even during the wild swings of momentum in the fourth: “Reset lang kami ng reset kasi alam namin kaya namin.”
Chery Tiggo’s veteran core – Cess Robles, Imee Hernandez, Shaya Adorador and Pauline Gaston – provided the stability and leadership, while the rookie troika of Soreño, Peñafiel and Reyann Cañete injected hustle, energy and a fearless brand of volleyball that kept the Crossovers afloat during tough stretches.
Robles topscored with 17 points, while Peñafiel also shone with 11 markers, Hernandez finished with eight points, including two blocks, while Gaston added six markers for the Crossovers, who prevailed in attacks, 59-50.
Capital1, to its credit, pushed Chery Tiggo to dig deep. Even when trailing two sets to one, the Solar Spikers continued to battle, refusing to fold in the fourth. Their aggressive swings, relentless floor defense, and gutsy efforts from the likes of Niego, Genesis, Abbu, and Alvarez kept the set within reach until their late collapse.
Alvarez and Genesis spearheaded Capital1’s offense with 13 and 12 points, respectively, while Niegos added 10 markers. Rovena Instrella, Abbu, and KC Galdones chipped in with nine, seven and six points, respectively.
On the other end, Chery Tiggo setter Alina Bicar outshone her Capital1 counterpart Iris Tolenada with 18 excellent sets compared to the latter’s 12. The Crossovers also showed their mettle on defense, with Robles and Peñafiel recording nine excellent digs and five excellent receptions, respectively, behind libero Jhoanna Verdeflor’s solid outing of eight digs and eight receptions.
Earlier, the Crossovers turned a 14-11 third-set lead into a full-blown runaway after a Peñafiel ace and consecutive kills from Soreño and Hernandez. They capitalized on a string of Capital1 errors and oversets, with Robles and Gaston feasting on easy setups to stretch the gap.
Gaston, in particular, impressed with her persistence – failing on her first two quick-hit attempts but connecting on her third to give Chery Tiggo a 12-9 lead and spark a string of unanswered points.
By the time the fourth set rolled around, it looked like Chery Tiggo was headed for a smooth finish. But Capital1’s refusal to quit turned the final frame into a must-watch segment, a tug-of-war that underscored their growth and fight, even in defeat, their third in as many games.
