The Play-ins of the 2024–25 PVL All-Filipino Conference began on Thursday at the PhilSports Arena. Here’s a recap of the first-ever Play-ins double-header of the league:
Chery Tiggo Sweeps Nxled, Arrests Four-Game Slide
The Chery Tiggo Crossovers fended off early inspired play from the Nxled Chameleons to ultimately pull out a 25-22, 26-24, 25-19 sweep to get the first win in the Play-ins.
Shaya Adorador took over the cudgels in leading Chery Tiggo, pouring in 14 points and hitting key kills to end the tense second set and leading the Crossovers’ torrid third set start. Ara Galang and Cess Robles were superb as well, with each firing 15 in the win.
EJ Laure also fired 15 points for Nxled, while Chiara Permentilla added 12. The Chameleons were in the thick of things in the first two sets but simply did not have enough to overcome the Crossovers’ great play. Their 19 unforced errors didn’t help either, especially with Chery Tiggo limiting theirs to only 10.
With the win, Chery Tiggo snapped what had been a four-game losing streak and got that crucial first win in the Play-ins, a single round-robin phase where the top team of each group advances to the quarters. Chery Tiggo is in Group A with Nxled and the Farm Fresh Foxies.
Up next:
Chery Tiggo vs. Farm Fresh Foxies (March 11, PhilSports Arena)
Nxled vs. Farm Fresh (March 13, PhilSports Arena)
Cignal Turns Back Capital1, Moves on from Qualifying Round Shocker
The Cignal HD Spikers put behind their Qualifying Round loss to the Galeries Tower Highrisers with a 25-21, 22-25, 25-17, 25-15 victory over the Capital1 Solar Spikers in Group B action in the Play-ins.
Vanie Gandler powered the HD Spikers with a team-high 21 points followed by Roselyn Doria-Aquino’s 18. Rookie Ishie Lalongisip once again came up big for Cignal as she added 15 points and played steady on both offense and defense. Dawn Catindig, named Player of the Game, anchored that defense with 18 excellent digs.
Trisha Genesis scored 12 markers for Capital1 but was benched in the match-deciding fourth set. Leila Cruz added 12 of her own, while Des Clemente-De Guzman and Shola Alvarez had 7 each.
The HD Spikers, the third seed after the preliminaries, jumpstarted their march to the quarterfinals with the win as they now lead Group B in the Play-ins. The Solar Spikers, meanwhile, find themselves behind the proverbial eight ball with the loss, with their next assignment a must-win.
Up next:
Cignal vs. Zus Coffee Thunderbelles (March 11, PhilSports Arena)
Capital1 vs. Zus Coffee (March 13, PhilSports Arena)
2024–25 PVL All-Filipino Conference: The Play-Ins Continue
The 2024–25 PVL All-Filipino Conference Play-ins will continue on Tuesday, March 11, at the PhilSports Arena. Chery Tiggo takes on Farm Fresh in the first game in a battle of Group A teams, while Cignal faces off with fellow Group B play-in team Zus Coffee.
