Chery Tiggo Crossovers during a win over ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles in the PVL Invitational.–PVL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–Chery Tiggo stayed firmly in control of its PVL Invitational destiny, keeping Kobe Shinwa at bay in the race for the second Finals slot with a 25-17, 25-17, 25-23 victory over ZUS Coffee on Tuesday night at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
With their full lineup in tow, the Crossovers showed no signs of slowing down. After breaking away from a 9-all count in the opening set, they never looked back.
READ: PVL: Kobe Shinwa redeems self, upsets Creamline
ZUS Coffee, refusing to fold, clawed back from a 9-13 deficit with a four-point burst to tie the set. What followed was a tense, back-and-forth exchange that kept the outcome in doubt until the final moments.
The Crossovers emerged victorious in the one-hour, 19-minute encounter – thanks to Cess Robles’ relentless power and Renee Peñafiel’s clutch hits. But it wasn’t purely their offense that won them the match, but the Thunderbelles’ shaky finish.
With the score tied at 23 after a back-row kill by Kate Santiago, the former Adamson standout misfired on her next attempt from the same spot, handing the Crossovers match point. Unable to convert their own chances, the Thunderbelles faltered, with Wielyn Estoque sending a crosscourt attempt wide to end the match.
But a win is a win – and the Crossovers were more than happy to chalk up another victory following their grueling five-set escape over the Creamline Cool Smashers to stay at No. 2 with a 3-1 slate.
Kobe Shinwa, which earlier bundled out last year’s champion Creamline in four sets, currently holds third place with a 2-1 record.
READ: PVL: Chery Tiggo beats Creamline in gritty five-set win
PLDT, meanwhile, has already locked in the first finals berth with a 4-0 slate, eyeing a rare double – winning both the PVL On Tour and the Invitational via clean sweeps.
Libero Jen Nierva, who anchored the defense with 11 excellent digs and 19 receptions, was named Best Player of the Game.
“We won but our effort still wasn’t enough. Our jobs are not done until we have reached our goal,” said Nierva in Filipino.
ZUS Coffee, a late addition to the tournament following the last-minute withdrawal of 2023 champion Kurashiki Ablaze and the eventual pullout of Farm Fresh, struggled with the absence of key players and bowed out with three straight losses.
Robles finished with 17 points, while Ara Galang chipped in nine markers, Peñafiel added eight points, and Aby Maraño, Jasmine Nabor and Imee Hernandez matched five-point outputs.
READ: PVL: PLDT repeats over Chery Tiggo in Alleiah Malaluan’s debut
Santiago scored 11 points, while Caroline Santos and Estoque finished with nine markers apiece and Fiola Ceballos, Riza Nogales and Gayle Pascual combined for 16 points for the Thunderbelles.
Now, Chery Tiggo stands on the brink of shot at redemption.
A victory over Kobe Shinwa would not only send the Crossovers back to the Finals – it would set up a rematch against the red-hot High Speed Hitters, who swept them earlier in the tournament.
For Chery Tiggo, that would mean another crack at the crown – and a chance to avenge that humbling straight-set loss from a team that’s quickly transforming into a formidable powerhouse.
The road to the finals won’t be easy for the Crossovers.
Kobe Shinwa has proven itself a legitimate contender, far from a token invitee.
Despite being a young squad making its PVL debut, the Japanese side boasts a polished, fast-paced system that has confounded local teams. Their four-set win over defending champions Creamline earlier in the day was impressive and turned heads.
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A victory over Chery Tiggo would vault them into the finals – and set up a shot at reclaiming the title last held by Kurashiki Ablaze two years ago.