For his outstanding contributions, Garcia was recognized as the Spikers’ Turf Press Corps Player of the Week for the period of March 19 to 23.

The former beach volleyball standout was instrumental in the team’s 10-game sweep of the elimination round, where he delivered 16 points, 11 receptions, and seven digs in their dominant win over PGJC-Navy Sealions (25-18, 25-17, 25-19) at Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Garcia edged out Cignal’s Louie Ramirez and Savouge’s Mark Calado for the weekly honor, further cementing his status as a vital piece in Criss Cross’ championship pursuit.

Marck Espejo Joins the Hunt for Redemption

As if Criss Cross wasn’t dominant enough, they received a major boost with the return of Marck Espejo, who made his first appearance this conference after completing his stint with Kubota Spears in Japan’s V.League.

Despite adding another elite talent, Garcia warned against complacency, knowing that Criss Cross had fallen short to Cignal in the last two Spikers’ Turf finals.

“This is a big boost for us, but we can’t afford to relax. Focus and effort need to be at 100 percent, and every player needs to contribute no matter who coach Tai [Bundit] sends in,” Garcia emphasized.

Criss Cross will look to secure another finals berth as they face VNS-Laticrete on Wednesday before a highly anticipated rematch against Cignal on Sunday, both at Rizal Memorial Coliseum.