BLOCKED. VNS's Jester Bornel (No. 10) blocks Cignal HD's Lloyd Josafat (No. 20) in their Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Champions League semifinal showdown at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on Thursday (Feb. 15, 2024). Cignal won the match, 25-14, 25-15, 25-22, to forge a title showdown with Iloilo, which scored a 25-21, 25-16, 25-19 victory over College of Saint Benilde in the other semifinal match. (PNVF photo)
MANILA – Unbeaten teams Cignal HD and Iloilo will dispute the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Champions League men's title after beating their respective semifinal opponents on Thursday night at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Spikers Joshua Umandal and Mark Frederick Calado scored 11 points apiece in leading the HD Spikers to a 25-14, 25-15, 25-22 victory over VNS Asereht Griffins.
The D’Navigators Iloilo, on the other hand, banked on spiker John Ben San Andres to prevail over the College of Saint Benilde Blazers, 25-21, 25-16, 25-19.
Cignal and Iloilo square off in the finals set at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday after the battle for the bronze medal match between VNS and Saint Benilde at 3 p.m.
“We prepared hard for the semis, we always treat it one match at a time,” Cignal HD coach Dexter Clamor said.
Aside from Umandal and Calado, expected to deliver for the HD Spikers are middle blockers Lloyd Josafat and skipper John Paul Bugaoan, and spiker Wendel Miguel.
Josafat scored nine points, including four aces, while Bugaoan and Miguel chipped in seven points each in the 93-minute match against Saint Benilde.
Cignal HD, eyeing redemption after losing the title to University of Santo Tomas last year, would be facing a tough challenge as Iloilo is also determined to win.
“We’re well-prepared. We’re here not to compete. We’re here to win,” said veteran spiker Jayvee Sumagasaysay, who finished with seven attacks and two blocks in their victory over VNS in only 80 minutes.
“We’ll fight them off, point for point,” coach Rizalito Delmoro said.
Meanwhile, Savouge downed Philippine Air Force, 25-21, 25-18, 25-18, while Philippine Army conquered PGJC-Philippine Navy, 25-23, 25-17, 25-17 in the classification matches of the event supported by PLDT, Ayala Land, Nuvali, Cignal, One Sports, One Sports+, Mikasa, Senoh, Foton, Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission.
Savouge will face Army in the battle for fifth while Air Force and Navy will dispute seventh and eighth, respectively to complete the final rankings. (PNA)
