Cignal, IEM in strong starts

Games Saturday (Batangas City Sports Center) 10 a.m. – Army vs Air Force (M) 2 p.m. – PayMaya vs Iriga-Navy (W) 4 p.m. – BaliPure-NU vs Tacloban (W)

Defending champion Cignal announced its title retention bid even as Instituto Estetico Manila took the solo lead after both bested separate rivals yesterday in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at The Arena in San Juan City.

The HD Spikers turned to the dynamic duo of Marck Espejo and Isay Marasigan in downing the Vice Co Blockbusters, 25-23, 20-25, 25-23, 25- 21, while the Phoenix Volley Masters outhustled tough PLDT Spikers, 1425, 25-21, 22-25, 25-22, 15-12.

Espejo, a five-time UAAP Most Valuable Player from Ateneo, and collegiate teammate Marasigan sizzled at the attack line with a combined 37 kills and provided cover at the net with eight blocks.

IEM, meantime, clinched its second straight win for the solo lead behind the efforts of Greg Dolor, Jeffrey Jimenez and Mark Enciso.

Dolor, a former FEU stalwart, fired 22 points built on 20 hits and two aces, even as Jimenez and Enciso chipped in 14 points apiece.

Meanwhile, BaliPure-National University outplayed PetroGazz, 22-25, 2523, 28-26, 22-25, 15-12, to notch its first win after an opening loss.

Guest player Janisa Johnson torched the net by pumping in 27 attacks while adding four service aces to finish with 31 points.