Crossovers reign supreme
Santiago sisters lead way in 5-set title clincher
Chery Tiggo became the first professional volleyball league champions after edging Creamline, 23-25, 20-25, 25-21, 25-23, 15-8, in a fiveset thriller in the deciding Game 3 of the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference Finals Friday, Aug. 13 at the PCV Socio-Civic and Cultural Center in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte.
Jaja Santiago, who lifted the Crossovers with her fourth set heroics, capitalized on the error-plagued fifth frame showing by the Cool Smashers. Chery Tiggo waxed hot in the decisive set after unloading a 9-2 run before Creamline rallied to cut the deficit by three points to trail at 11-8.
The Crossovers pulled away for good with another 4-0 blitz capped by Santiago’s quick attack off a Jasmine Nabor feed.
“I want to congratulate also Creamline. You know that they have the experience in this kind of level but thank God (we won),” said Chery Tiggo coach Aaron Velez.
“We really offer this to God and He guided us and we showed what we are made of. There’s nothing impossible with God, we just have to trust ourselves, trust one another and trust God.”
The Santiago sisters led the Crossovers anew as Dindin Santiago-Manabat hammered 32 points on top of 30 kills with 15 excellent digs while Jaja, who bagged the Conference Most Valuable Player, the Finals MVP, and the Best Middle Blocker honors, fired 22 kills and posted four blocks for 26 markers.
Nabor also contributed 34 excellent sets while Beatriz Duremdes had 26 excellent digs.
The Santiago sisters and Mylene Paat joined forces against the continuous frontline offense of Creamline's Alyssa Valdez and Tots Carlos late in the fourth frame.
Tied at 23-all, Jaja and Dindin scored two straight points to force the decisive fifth set.
Carlos paced Creamline with 15 kills for 22 points, Valdez, who captured the Best Outside Spiker award, drilled in 17 points on top of 15 attacks, and Jema Galanza and Risa Sato added 14 points apiece.
Jia Morado, who was named Best Setter, tossed 47 excellent sets for the Cool Smashers.
Other awardees were Ria Meneses (Best Middle Blocker), Myla Pablo (Best Outside Spiker), Kath Arado (Best Libero) of Petro Gazz, and Kat Tolentino (Best Opposite Spiker) of Choco Mucho.