Lalongisip PVL photo
Big game for Cignal vs Akari
CIGNAL aims to lock the No. 3 ranking in the crucial qualifying round as it faces an Akari squad looking for consistency in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference today at the Philsports Arena.
A victory, regardless of how many sets, in the 4 p.m. match will secure the HD Spikers’ third place finish in the preliminaries, where it will face the No. 10 team in the next phase for a place in the quarterfinals.
Currently tied with PLDT and Choco Mucho at third with identical 7-3 records, Cignal holds the tiebreaker in points. The HD Spikers have 22 points, compared to the High Speed Hitters’ 20 and the Flying Titans’ 17.
Defending champion Creamline and PetroGazz, both sporting 9-1 slates, are assured of top two finish in the prelims, with their final placings yet to be determined.
The rankings play a crucial role, as the Top 6 teams will enter the knockout phase with a psychological edge. The tournament format pits No. 1 vs No. 12, No. 2 vs No. 11 and so forth.
Winners will proceed to the best-of-three quarterfinals, while losing teams will battle for the last two Last 8 slots in a novel play-in tournament.
Cignal could possibly face either the three teams which are tied at 1-9, Galeries Tower, Nxled and Capital1, which will face Farm Fresh in the day’s other match at 6:30 p.m.
Akari, which is level with Chery Tiggo at 5-5, is shooting for a convincing win to formally seal the No. 6 ranking in the qualifying phase. The Chargers are in a collision course for a showdown with seventh-running Crossovers.
Meanwhile, the Foxies are tipped to prevail over the slumping Solar Spikers.
Farm Fresh is actually tied with ZUS Coffee at 4-6, but the Foxies are in ninth by virtue of inferior points against the Thunderbelles, 13-14.
Another loss will put Capital1 in danger of finishing 12th in the standings. The Solar Spikers could take on either the Cool Smashers or the Angels in the next round.
Rookie Ishie Lalongisip, who played a crucial role in the HD Spikers’ back-to-back victories, is locked in to achieve one of their goals this season.
“‘Yung mindset namin sa last game is we need to get that win para advantage rin namin ‘yun for the placing sa preliminaries and ayun back to training lang kami and mag-trabaho lang dahil walang ibang gagawa sa game kundi kaming players na sumusunod kay coach,” said Lalongisip.
Akari is coming off a nine-day break after dropping a 21-25, 25-19, 23-25, 15-25 decision to Choco Mucho.
