Super Spikers Triumph Over Cool Smashers in Thrilling Five-Set Battle to Reach Semifinals

Second-seeded Cignal bounced back from a tough loss to third-seeded Creamline, surviving a nail-biting five-set showdown, 25-21, 24-26, 18-25, 25-22, 17-15, to secure their spot in the semifinals of the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference on Thursday.

The Super Spikers, who had fallen to Creamline just five days earlier, found themselves trailing 1-2 in sets. However, they rallied in the fourth and fifth frames to pull off a remarkable comeback, with Gel Cayuna, Vanie Gandler, and Erika Santos spearheading the charge in what became the longest and most thrilling match of the conference, lasting 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Cayuna, Cignal’s floor general, contributed 35 excellent sets and 11 points, orchestrating the offense with pinpoint precision. Santos was the standout scorer, leading all players with 26 points, including 23 attacks, two kill blocks, and one ace, while also adding 10 excellent digs. Gandler completed a monster triple-double, recording 22 points, 28 excellent receptions, and 13 digs.

“I’m really thankful to the Lord for guiding us, and of course, to Gel, Vanie, and Erika,” said Cignal’s head coach Shaq delos Santos. “I told the players... my blood pressure went up today. I just told them to work hard and really want the win... this is one of our best games, especially as we move to the semis.”

Cignal came out strong in the fifth set, jumping to an early lead and putting the defending champions, Creamline, on the defensive. However, the Cool Smashers, with their 10 PVL titles, refused to go down without a fight. Tots Carlos saved match points with a crucial block, and Vanie Gandler and Alyssa Valdez exchanged tense points in a 15-all deadlock.

The Super Spikers finally sealed the win with two crucial errors: a service misfire from Jeanette Panaga followed by a confirmed attack error from Valdez after a successful challenge by Cignal.

“We worked really hard in our preparation, studying Creamline thoroughly to win this match,” said Cayuna, reflecting on their resilience and focused preparation.

Supporting the star trio, Rose Doria-Aquino added eight points, while Tin Tiamzon and Ishie Lalongisip contributed six and five points, respectively. Dawn Catindig was key in defense, recording 31 excellent receptions.

For Creamline, Bernadeth Pons, returning from a two-game absence, led her team with 20 points. Valdez had another all-around performance, scoring 18 points, alongside 19 digs and 20 excellent receptions. Jeanette Panaga, Tots Carlos, and Bea De Leon also contributed double-digit points with 14, 12, and 11, respectively.

With the loss, Creamline drops to the play-in round, where they will face the winner of the Akari-Choco Mucho matchup, while Cignal advances to the semifinals for the first time since last year’s PVL On Tour.