Cignal quickly erased the sting of its recent stumble, powering through a determined Akari squad in four sets, 25-21, 23-25, 25-20, 25-20, to keep its PVL Reinforced Conference quarterfinal hopes alive Thursday, November 6, at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan. The Super Spikers rose from their costly loss to Capital1 by turning in a more disciplined, energized performance, leveling their carry-over record at 3-3 and tightening the race for Top-8 positions.

Local contributions made the difference this time, a turnaround from their previous outing. Erika Santos fueled the attack with 19 points while Ishie Lalongisip shook off a quiet night against the Solar Spikers to add 11. But once again, import Katrin Trebichavska delivered the anchor performance, firing 25 points and backing it with strong floor coverage to help stabilize Cignal whenever pressure mounted.

Cignal finds balance as locals rise to the moment

Trebichavska credited the team’s energy and crowd support as her all-around effort — nine digs and seven receptions — gave Cignal steady control late in sets. The Super Spikers overcame Akari’s late push in the fourth frame, weathering Camille Victoria’s service pressure before closing with clutch hits from Trebichavska, Lalongisip and Jackie Acuña.

Roselyn Aquino chipped in 12 markers, while Acuña added seven and setter Gel Cayuna scored four as Cignal’s improved distribution allowed its attack to click. The squad’s sharper start also set the tone, jumping to early leads in Sets 1 and 3 and maintaining composure in pivotal stretches.

Mitchem leads Akari fightback but Cignal stays composed

Akari’s grit kept the match tight. Annie Mitchem spearheaded the Chargers with 22 points, supported by Fifi Sharma’s 13 and Grethcel Soltones’ eight. A dominant late surge earned the Chargers the second set, capped by Sharma’s timely block on Trebichavska. But Cignal regained momentum in the third, building a cushion behind Santos and Trebichavska while limiting errors that proved costly earlier.

The victory reinforced Cignal’s dangerous ceiling when its local unit complements its import’s steady production — a formula that keeps the squad firmly in the quarterfinal picture.