Chery Tiggo started its PVL Play-In tournament campaign with a commanding straight-set victory over Nxled, 25-22, 26-24, 25-19, on Thursday, March 6, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

The Crossovers relied on a mix of veteran composure and timely execution, shaking off a tight opening set before taking control of the match. Shaya Adorador emerged as the game-changer, scoring 14 points and delivering crucial plays to turn the tide for Chery Tiggo.

Clutch Moments Fuel Chery Tiggo’s Sweep

While the final score suggests a dominant outing, the match was anything but easy. The first two sets saw Nxled challenge Chery Tiggo at every turn, forcing the Crossovers to dig deep in crucial moments.

Chery Tiggo had to rally late in the opening set, overcoming a 17-20 deficit with an 8-2 finishing kick. Cess Robles spearheaded the comeback, scoring five of the team’s last eight points to secure the early lead.

The second set followed a similar pattern, with the Chameleons putting up a strong resistance behind EJ Laure and Chiara Permentilla. Despite Nxled’s efforts, Chery Tiggo’s experience paid off, as Adorador stepped up with back-to-back off-the-block hits to seal the extended 26-24 win.

With momentum on their side, the Crossovers dominated the third frame. Adorador and Robles fueled an early 13-8 lead before Ara Galang and Risa Sato delivered key defensive plays. A massive kill block from Sato on Krich Macaslang further widened the gap, and the Chameleons failed to recover as Chery Tiggo cruised to a 25-19 finish.

Team Effort Pushes Chery Tiggo to Victory

Robles and Galang led Chery Tiggo with 15 points each, while Adorador, who was named Best Player of the Game, added 14 points along with 11 excellent digs.

Despite Laure’s 15-point effort for Nxled, the Chameleons struggled to find consistent scoring support. Permentilla chipped in 12 points, but the rest of the team combined for just 19 markers, leaving them unable to keep up with the Crossovers’ firepower.

Chery Tiggo controlled key statistical categories, finishing with a 47-39 edge in attacks and an 8-4 advantage in blocks. While Nxled outscored them in service aces (5-2), the Crossovers capitalized on their opponent’s errors, converting 19 free points while limiting their own mistakes to just 10.

Chery Tiggo Eyes Quarterfinal Berth

With the win, Chery Tiggo takes an important step in securing a quarterfinal spot. The team resumes its Play-In campaign against Farm Fresh on Tuesday, looking to build on its momentum.

Nxled, on the other hand, must regroup quickly as they prepare for their next matchup in the round-robin format that determines the final two quarterfinalists.

The PVL Play-In tournament continues next week, with teams battling for the last available slots in the best-of-three quarterfinals.