The PVL on Tour finished their quarterfinals round last night, August 9 at Philsports Arena in Pasig City as the last 2 semifinals slots were taken.
Karen Verdeflor and Ara Galang Pushes Chery Tiggo to the Semis
The #3 Chery Tiggo Crossovers played against the #2 Nxled Chameleons in the last day of knockout round quarterfinals day.
Chery Tiggo set the tone from the start as they built a 15-9 edge in attacks and used a 4-0 kill-block tally to stifle Nxled’s wing game. Nxled’s promising preliminary form never materialized in the frame as Chery Tiggo’s frontline and floor defense fed fast transition opportunities. The Crossovers closed the set with consistent execution and few mistakes.
Photo Credits: PVL
The second set began with the Crossover’s veterans and rookies combining to press the advantage, and an extended back-and-forth sequence ended with a booming left-handed blast that kept the momentum with the Crossovers. By 19-10 the result looked inevitable as Chery Tiggo continued to convert on opportunities and draw errors from the Chameleons. A late push by Nxled failed to loosen Chery Tiggo’s grip, who wrapped the set convincingly.
Photo Credits: PVL
Nxled showed brief resistance early in the third, narrowing the gap to within four, but Chery Tiggo answered decisively. Renee Peñafiel produced a through-the-block winner and followed with an ace as the Crossovers opened a 13-5 run that effectively ended the contest. Timeouts and on-court adjustments could not spark a comeback, and Mary Rhose Dapol’s final hit sealed a clinical third set win and a straight-sets sweep in one hour and 25 minutes.
FINAL SCORES = Set 1: 25-17, Set 2: 25-15, Set 3: 25-20
The Crossovers outgunned Nxled 50-33 in attacks, edged them 6-4 in blocks, converted 15 points off opponent errors and committed just 11 unforced errors.
Photo Credits: PVL
Libero Karen Verdeflor stole the show defensively with 16 excellent digs and six receptions, helping neutralize many of Nxled’s attacks. Verdeflor, who also finished with six receptions while Cess Robles led Chery Tiggo’s scorers with 12 points, Ara Galang and Peñafiel had 11 apiece, and Imee Hernandez added 10.
Photo Credits: PVL
For the side of Chameleons, EJ Laure top-scored for Nxled with 13 while Jovelyn Fernandez had 10.
Chery Tiggo advances to the semifinals and secures a berth in the upcoming Invitational Conference, where they will next meet Cignal HD Spikers for the semifinals come August 12, 4:30 PM at the Araneta Coliseum.
Veteran Michelle Gumabao and Kyle Negirto Dominates as Creamline Moves on to the Next Round
Experience, composure, championship pedigree and a winning culture once again set the tone for the playoffs as the #2 Creamline Cool Smashers faced the #3 Farm Fresh Foxies.
The Cool Smashers wasted no time asserting control, racing to a 7-0 lead to open the match. Farm Fresh trimmed a large deficit to 19-23 in the first set, but veterans Alyssa Valdez and Jema Galanza delivered timely kills to quash the rally.
Photo Credits: PVL
Creamline’s service pressure proved decisive, with Negrito delivering four aces in one frame, which is something rarely seen in recent PVL play, as the defending champions moved ahead 1-0 in the match.
Farm Fresh opened the second set with renewed energy, but Creamline once again seized the initiative, leading 8-4 by the first technical timeout. Five unanswered points widened the gap to 16-9, though the Foxies responded with a three-point spurt to close in. Unforced errors, however, stalled their run, as three service faults blunted any momentum.
Valdez closed the set with back-to-back hits off combination plays, giving Creamline a 2-0 cushion and reinforcing their composure under pressure.
Photo Credits: PVL
Determined to extend the contest, Farm Fresh brought more bite in the third set. Trisha Tubu sparked a spirited rally late in the frame, delivering a clutch block on Valdez followed by an off-the-block hit that saved three match points, tying the score at 24. A rare attacking error from Michele Gumabao, whose shot caught the antenna, further fueled the Foxies’ surge and drew loud cheers from their supporters.
But Gumabao quickly redeemed herself with a sharp down-the-line kill, and Pangs Panaga sealed the win with a net-clipping service ace that caught the Foxies flat-footed.
FINAL SCORES – Set 1: 25-19, Set 2: 25-19, Set 3: 26-24
The 10-PVL Champions narrowly edged Farm Fresh in attacks (38-35) and matched them in blocks (four each), but dominated from the service line with 10 aces against the Foxies’ four.
Photo Credits: PVL
Setter Kyle Negrito orchestrated the offense with precision for the Cool Smashers, earning Best Player of the Game honors for her 21 excellent sets and six points, highlighted by five aces.
Gumabao led Creamline with 15 points, while Valdez and Galanza chipped in 12 and 10, respectively. Panaga added seven, rounding out the Cool Smashers’ balanced attack. Valdez tallied nine excellent receptions, while Galanza and libero Kyla Atienza combined for 14 digs.
Photo Credits: PVL
For Farm Fresh, Tubu top-scored with 20 points, including three consecutive aces in the opening set, but her heroics weren’t enough to sustain a comeback. Caitlin Viray and Rizza Cruz contributed nine and six markers, while Jolina Dela Cruz struggled to find her rhythm, limited to just four points.
Creamline’booked their record-extending 18th Final Four berth but also set up a semifinal showdown with Kim Kianna Dy’s PLDT High Speed Hitters.
They are also set to play next week, August 12 in Araneta Coliseum at 6:30 PM.
The PLDT vs Creamline would be a clash of experience versus youthful energy that promises to test both sides’ championship credentials.
