After tormenting sister team, Cignal ends tournament on a high note

On Thursday night, after PLDT scored a victory that was huge in terms of franchise milestones but meaningless when it came to the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference, coach Rald Ricafort admitted that the goal of the tournament it was the same as they would do. aim for in the future.

“Get nine wins,” he said after the High Speed ​​Hitters picked up a 22-25, 25-14, 25-22, 27-25 victory over Creamline.

This turnaround did not take PLDT anywhere in the tournament. Winning their eighth game in 11 starts allowed the High Speed ​​Hitters to catch up to the Cool Smashers with the same record. But Creamline held the best points total – 24 to 23 – and advanced into the semi-finals while leaving PLDT for fifth place.

It wasn't the point that doomed Ricafort and the High Speed ​​Hitters. A missed opportunity was to blame.

And as if to remind the team what that opportunity was, Cignal came out on Saturday and capped off their conference campaign with a 25-19, 25-17, 25-20 victory over Capital1 to finish in sixth place, just one spot away. below its sister team.

Fate sealed

Cignal's 24-26, 26-24, 25-17, 28-26 victory over PLDT was the turning point for PLDT's candidacy in this conference. A win would have allowed PLDT to equal their goal of All-Filipino victory and ultimately would have sent the High Speed ​​​​Hitters straight to the semifinals.

Instead, with its fate sealed even before going to court against Creamline, PLDT was left to gain some momentum heading into the next conference.

“Knowing that and going into the next (conference) and using that and presenting it will be really helpful in terms of adding that motivation and adding that determination, knowing that we were capable of what we did tonight,” senior slugger Savi Davison said. .

This is the same mentality that Cignal displayed against Capital1.

“We really wanted to end our campaign with a victory,” said Roselyn Doria, who finished with 12 points. “We learned a lot of lessons from this experience, so you can count on us at the next conference.”