Eya Laure and the Chery Tiggo Crossovers in a PVL All-Filipino Conference game. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines – Chery Tiggo earned her seventh consecutive PVL All-Filipino Conference victory and with it a ticket to the semifinals.
The Crossovers survived the gallant Galeries Tower stand, 26-24, 23-25, 19-25, 25-12, 15-9, on Thursday at the PhilSports Arena with Eya Laure leading her team with 20 points built on 15 attacks and 5 blocks.
“Thank you, Lord, for the game because it’s anyone’s game. We chase. At least in the end our adjustment worked out,” said coach KungFu Reyes. “Fortunately, someone stepped forward. The movement of our wingtips is unstable. The respect we gave to the Galleries, we really gave. We really prepared for this.”
SCHEDULE: 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference
Ara Galang stood alongside Laure with 13 points, 12 coming from attacks, while Alina Bicar helped Chery Tiggo's attack hum like a well-oiled machine with 16 excellent sets.
Libero Jennifer Nierva provided her defense with 11 excellent digs like Laure who also had 18 excellent receptions.
“It was actually a challenge that we have to overcome together kasi may mga games talaga na parang we are not there eh. But we have to be there, present and fight anyway. Diba?” Crossover captain Aby Maraño said.
Tower High Risers Galleries. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
When Chery Tiggo qualified for the semi-finals and rose to second place behind top seed Petro Gazz, PLDT's chance of entering the Final Four disappeared before they even battled defending champions Creamline in the nightcap.
“I keep telling my teammates to take this as a challenge, maintain mental toughness, the fight must exist and, at the same time, we must not lose confidence in ourselves, in each other,” Maraño added.
The Highrisers showed what they're made of early on, but Laure refused to give Galeries Tower an advantage and scored three consecutive points to help the Crossovers take the opening set.
READ: PVL: Chery Tiggo remains on track for the semi-finals
Chery Tiggo, however, played without rhythm, which the eliminated Highrisers took advantage of to take a 2-1 lead in the set.
But with a lot at stake, Chery Tiggo found the right adjustments in the final stretch to counter the surprise prepared by the Galeries Tower.
Cza Carandang, who finished with seven points like Maraño and Cess Robles, blocked Ysa Jimenez to give Chery Tiggo a five-point lead in the final frame.
WATCH: Chery Tiggo coaches KungFu Reyes and Mylene Paat after entering the semi-finals. #PVL2024 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/isZBFZfJR6
– INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) April 25, 2024
Carandang then unleashed consecutive quick attacks to point the Crossovers on the right track, 13-6, as Andrea Marzan made a crucial net error to put Chery Tiggo on match point.
Marzan compensated by blocking Carandang on the next play, while Shola Alvarez, who had eight points, targeted Laure for a line hit and anticlimactic service error to end the match.
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“Our performance was not very good. We are not really satisfied with the way we played today, but still, at the end of the day, we are grateful that we overcame this challenge and we are honored with this type of game,” Maraño said after Chery Tiggo made 36 errors. .
France Ronquillo led Galeries Tower in their last game in this conference with 15 points, Marzan 11 points and Norielle Ipac 10 as the Highrisers fell to 3-8.
