Strong Cignal grabs Spikers’ Turf crown

Cignal reasserted its dominance as it booked a 25-23, 27-25, 25-21 victory over Criss Cross to secure the Spikers’ Turf Open Conference crown late Friday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.

Led by the dynamic duo of Bryan Bagunas and Jau Umandal, and buoyed by stellar performances of Wendel Miguel, JP Bugaoan and Nastin Gwaza, the HD Spikers demonstrated a masterclass in power, teamwork and tenacity to sweep their bestof-three finals series.

Their fiery windup was punctuated by a couple of clutch kill blocks with Bagunas appropriately sealing the victory with a stinging backrow hit.

Reflecting on their triumph, Bagunas expressed his joy as it marked his inaugural year with Cignal following a stint with the Taiwanese club

Win Streak, where he secured consecutive league titles.

“I am so happy because I won the title in my first year with Cignal,” said Bagunas, who was named as Finals Most Valuable Player after burying 26 points and 12 receptions in the first game and 22 points including five aces and eight receptions in the clincher.

He also acknowledged the growing popularity of men’s volleyball in the country and urged fans to continue supporting the sport and the league.

“We can see the growing popularity of men’s volleyball. I hope you always watch our games and keep on supporting us.”

The defining moment, however, came in the second set when Cignal staged a stunning comeback from a 17-20 deficit.

With Bagunas and Miguel leading the charge, aided by errors from Criss Cross, the HD Spikers leveled the score at 21, setting the stage for a nail-biting finish filled with adrenaline-pumping exchanges and challenges.